NGT Flags Diesel Generator Compliance Gaps Across Multiple Indian States

The National Green Tribunal has found that several states and Union Territories have not implemented Central Pollution Control Board directions on retrofitting emission control devices in diesel generators, and has issued notices seeking replies ahead of a July hearing. The Tribunal also directed action on illegal industrial units allegedly polluting the Yamuna river near Mathura.

The CPCB had earlier issued comprehensive directions requiring diesel generator sets to be fitted with emission control equipment to reduce particulate and gaseous pollutants. States and UTs found non-compliant with these requirements were issued notices by the NGT on 10 April 2026, with responses mandated before the next scheduled hearing in July. Diesel generators remain a significant source of localised air pollution in Indian cities, particularly during peak demand periods and power outages.

In a separate matter, the Tribunal sought a response from authorities regarding illegal industrial units reportedly operating near Mathura without mandatory environmental consent and allegedly discharging pollutants into the Yamuna river. The Yamuna, a key water body flowing through major cities including Delhi and Agra, has been subject to multiple NGT orders over decades, with industrial pollution consistently identified as a primary contamination source.

The Tribunal also directed Delhi municipal authorities to address waste dumping near schools in the Safdarjung Enclave area. The cluster of orders from the April 10 session highlights systemic enforcement challenges across urban environment management in India, including solid waste, water quality and air pollution. The July hearing will serve as a checkpoint for state-level compliance progress on diesel generator retrofitting.

Key figure — July 2026 — scheduled NGT compliance hearing for diesel generator emission control directives