Chandigarh/Patiala, October 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab has received national recognition for its initiatives to improve air quality, with Mission Clean Patiala, an air pollution control device installed at a traditional crematorium in Patiala, gas-based crematoria in Mandi Gobindgarh and a bio-methanation plant in Gobindgarh featuring in the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Compendium of Best Practices under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), 2026.
The initiatives, implemented with the involvement of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and other stakeholders, highlight the state’s efforts to tackle different sources of air pollution through community participation, technology-based interventions and sustainable waste management.
The recognition underscores how locally driven measures, institutional collaboration and practical environmental solutions can contribute to the broader national objective of improving air quality.
Mission Clean Patiala, launched by the PPCB in collaboration with the district administration and the Municipal Corporation, Patiala, was conceptualised in association with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP). The initiative brings together educational institutions, government departments, organisations and citizens to improve urban cleanliness and encourage greater public participation in environmental protection.
Through regular road-cleaning drives, the campaign aims to remove accumulated waste, discourage open burning and promote responsible waste management. By engaging students, government agencies and local communities, the initiative seeks to make cleanliness a sustained civic responsibility rather than an occasional activity.
Effective solid-waste management also plays an important role in improving air quality. Preventing waste accumulation and open burning can help reduce emissions of particulate matter and other harmful pollutants.
Another initiative recognised in the compendium is the installation of an Air Pollution Control Device (APCD) at a traditional wood-based crematorium in Patiala. Implemented as a pilot under the NCAP, the intervention is intended to reduce particulate emissions while respecting established religious and cultural practices.
Gas-based crematoria in Mandi Gobindgarh have also been included among Punjab’s clean-air best practices. The use of gas-based systems offers an alternative to conventional wood-based cremation and is intended to help address associated emissions.
The bio-methanation plant in Gobindgarh represents another approach to sustainable urban environmental management. The facility processes biodegradable organic waste to generate biogas, helping divert suitable waste from conventional disposal methods and supporting resource recovery. Effective waste segregation and efficient plant operations are important to maximising the environmental benefits of such facilities.
Together, the initiatives demonstrate the importance of addressing air pollution through a combination of cleaner technologies, improved waste processing, public participation and preventive action. They also offer potential models for assessment and replication in other cities, depending on local requirements and demonstrated performance.
The inclusion of Punjab’s initiatives in the CPCB’s NCAP best-practices compendium highlights the value of developing locally relevant solutions that can inform environmental action elsewhere. It also reinforces the importance of combining technological interventions with community engagement and sustained implementation.
PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta said the recognition reflected the state’s approach of combining scientific solutions with public participation to achieve lasting environmental improvements.
“National recognition for Punjab’s clean-air initiatives reinforces our belief that lasting environmental change comes from combining scientific solutions with people’s participation. From Mission Clean Patiala, which makes cleanliness a shared civic responsibility, to pollution-control technology at traditional crematoria, our focus is on addressing pollution at its source and building models that can be scaled across the state. Our vision is to make Rangla Punjab a reality defined by cleaner air, healthier communities and sustainable development. We will continue to innovate, collaborate and turn environmental commitments into tangible improvements in people’s lives,” Gupta said.
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