NGT sets 6-month deadline for roadmap to cut air pollution in Karnataka, southern states

The National Green Tribunal has sought sector-specific implementation roadmap, timelines and clear accountability.

Bengaluru: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed southern states and the Union Territory of Puducherry to submit a sector-wise roadmap to reduce pollutant particulate matter (PM) while the Karnataka chief secretary was told to conduct a monthly review meeting to monitor the works under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

The southern zone bench of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava was hearing a bunch of applications, including a suo motu case based on a report published by Deccan Herald in July 2024 that Karnataka was among the worst performing states in NCAP spending.

The bench looked into the state-level action plans, a prayer in another application, and directed the states to implement them in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It noted that scientific inputs like comprehensive studies were either incomplete or not uniformly available across all states.

"It is imperative to have such data and adopt a structured, year-on-year approach for setting emission reduction targets for key pollutants PM 2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and hydrocarbons... In the absence of such data-driven assessment, targeted mitigation of pollution sources becomes difficult, thereby affecting the overall effectiveness of the action plans," it said.

In a crucial intervention, the tribunal asked the CPCB to ensure strengthening of the air quality monitoring networks, and validation of the air quality data through independent mechanisms.

6-month deadline

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Puducherry were directed to submit in six months specific action plans to cut pollution. "The states/UTs shall prepare and place on record a sector-wise implementation roadmap, indicating timelines, implementing agencies, budget allocation and targeted reduction in PM10 and PM 2.5 levels within six months," it said, adding that compliance should be incentivised and violations penalised.

While the CPCB and the Union environment ministry were directed to oversee the implementation in all the states, the tribunal issued specific instructions to Karnataka. "The state of Karnataka shall conduct monthly review meetings under the supervision of the chief secretary to monitor financial utilisation, and corresponding air quality improvement," the bench said.

The tribunal took note of Karnataka's submission that the fund utilisation has increased from 37 per cent of the released funds in October 2024 to 76 per cent as of September 2025. However, it noted that over 86 per cent of the funds were utilised only for dust control and directed that disproportionate expenditure on road dust management shall be avoided.