Chandigarh, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has intensified regulatory action against black smoke emissions and stepped up measures to prevent industrial pollution of rivers, drains and other water resources across the state.
The decisions were taken following a review of the functioning of the Board’s Regional and Zonal Offices chaired by PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta. The Board has identified black-smoke hotspots and pollution-prone locations as key areas requiring focused, technology-based intervention.
The PPCB will prepare sector-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for brick kilns, rice shellers, furnaces, hazardous-waste-generating units and other identified industries. Regional Offices will conduct training programmes in local languages for industrial clusters on these SOPs and cleaner environmental practices.
Brick kilns will receive particular attention. In collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, technical training will be provided to kiln owners and workers on zig-zag technology, approved fuels, equipment maintenance, prevention of black smoke and associated health impacts.
During inspections, brick kilns will also be required to produce purchase orders for stubble or rice-straw pellets to help verify compliance with prescribed fuel-use requirements.
The Board will develop a model and best-practice framework with technical support from Princeton University. It will also work with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) to prepare awareness material, videos and compliance guidance.
Capacity-building measures will extend to rice shellers, stone crushers, electroplating units and other industrial sectors. Training will cover CPCB-approved SOPs, chemical handling, effluent treatment plant (ETP) operations, hazardous-waste management, worker safety and pollution-control requirements.
Targeted inspections will also examine recurring technical causes of visible emissions, including deficiencies in operating and feeding systems, recuperators, air seals and coal pulverisers, wherever applicable.
To strengthen protection of water resources, the Chairperson has directed Regional Offices to facilitate installation of CCTV cameras with night vision and motion-sensor capabilities at potential industrial discharge outlets along rivers and their tributaries.
High-risk units and pollution-prone locations will be identified using monitoring data, background studies and complaint histories. In areas where drains have been identified as vulnerable, the Board will develop technology-driven systems for source identification, continuous monitoring and timely escalation. Drone-based assessments will also be considered wherever technically appropriate.
The PPCB will coordinate with concerned departments and stakeholders on preventive and corrective measures. Inspections will also verify compliance with environmental clearance conditions, rainwater-harvesting provisions, pollution-control systems and other statutory requirements.
“Our approach must focus on identifying environmental hotspots, understanding the technical causes behind pollution and implementing practical solutions. Black smoke is not merely a visible emission; it is an indicator that cleaner operating practices and effective pollution-control measures must be adopted. Likewise, every drain, water channel and catchment is an environmental asset that must be protected from unauthorised pollution,” Gupta said.
She added that digital monitoring, scientific decision-making and continued engagement with stakeholders would help build a transparent and responsive regulatory framework aligned with sustainable development.
“Let us work together to make Punjab a State of Zero-Black Smoke and the Cleanest Water,” she said.
The PPCB said it would continue combining regulatory action, technical guidance, scientific monitoring and capacity building to promote cleaner industrial operations and protect Punjab’s environmental resources.
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