New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav interacted with start-ups and innovation companies on October 17, 2026, to explore affordable, scalable and technology-driven solutions to address air pollution in Delhi-NCR. The interaction focused on translating innovative technologies into practical, field-level interventions that can help identify pollution sources, improve monitoring and strengthen enforcement.
The meeting was organised as part of a series of stakeholder engagement initiatives under the campaign ‘Saaf Hawa Mein Hissedaari, Hum Sabhi Ki Hai Zimmedaari’. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh and Delhi Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also attended the interaction.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW), Delhi Government, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) were also present.
Bhupender Yadav Highlights Role of Start-ups in Tackling Air Pollution
Addressing the participants, Bhupender Yadav described the interaction with start-ups as a proactive initiative to bridge the gap between policymakers and technology innovators. He said such engagement could help improve uniformity in policy implementation, strengthen transparency and support the adoption of practical technological solutions.
The Minister presented specific problem statements covering nine key areas of air pollution management. He discussed with innovators how their technologies could be adapted, tested, scaled and deployed on the ground to deliver measurable results.
He also highlighted that technology-driven interventions should complement existing measures, including the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the promotion of cleaner fuels and electric mobility, and the strengthening of air-quality monitoring systems.
Emphasising technology-enabled enforcement, Yadav said that integrating Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) data with industrial plant-operation data is essential to identify malpractices. He noted that artificial intelligence (AI) could play an important role in detecting irregularities and improving compliance.
Read also: Bhupender Yadav Releases 4 Publications on Himalayan Biodiversity, Stresses Community Participation
AI, Sensors and Drones to Strengthen Air Pollution Monitoring
The proposed solutions covered the entire air pollution management process, from detection and monitoring to prediction, enforcement and mitigation.
Start-ups showcased technologies using artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing, satellite imagery, drones, advanced sensors and data analytics to improve the understanding of pollution sources in real time.
Key solutions discussed during the interaction included:
- Hyperlocal air-quality monitoring: Technologies for monitoring pollution at local levels and mapping air quality across cities.
- AI-based pollution analysis: Systems for identifying pollution hotspots, analysing pollution sources and forecasting air-quality conditions.
- Industrial emission monitoring: Tamper-proof OCEMS solutions and AI-enabled identification of industrial emission violations.
- Vehicle pollution checks: Automated identification of vehicles operating without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates and vehicles that have exceeded their permitted age.
- Traffic congestion prediction: AI-based identification and forecasting of traffic congestion hotspots to support smoother traffic movement.
- Biomass burning detection: Technologies for the 24-hour detection of stubble burning and open biomass burning.
- Diesel generator monitoring: Real-time monitoring of combustion efficiency and emission-control devices used in diesel generators.
The Minister stressed the importance of city-wide air-quality monitoring, cleaner vehicles and effective traffic management. He also called for tamper-proof PUC monitoring and greater use of AI-based tools to support timely intervention.
Technology Solutions for Construction Dust and Road Pollution
Dust from roads, construction sites and demolition activities was another key area of discussion. The proposed technologies included systems to detect and control dust at construction and demolition sites, monitor road-dust resuspension and improve the efficiency of dust-control operations.
Innovators also discussed low-cost mechanised road sweeping, portable pothole repair solutions and modular dust-containment systems.
Yadav highlighted that faster and more efficient road maintenance is an important component of active road-dust control. He encouraged the development of practical solutions that can be deployed across Delhi-NCR to address dust pollution at its source.
Other proposals focused on improving monitoring of pollution-control equipment and using real-time data to strengthen compliance with environmental standards.
Crop Residue Management and Waste-to-Resource Solutions
The interaction also examined how technology could help address air pollution caused by crop-residue burning, solid waste and construction and demolition waste.
Start-ups presented integrated systems for collecting, transporting and productively utilising paddy straw for bioenergy, biomass fuel, composting and other value-added applications. These included the development of crop-residue-based materials, biochar-based solutions and environmentally friendly packaging.
The Minister stressed the need to promote scientific management of crop residue, municipal solid waste and construction and demolition waste instead of allowing these materials to become sources of pollution.
He also highlighted the need to develop guidelines for parali (crop-residue) storage in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, CAQM and CPCB. An in-situ crop-residue storage model was also identified as an area requiring attention.
Start-ups Encouraged to Develop Affordable and Scalable Solutions
Briefing the media, Yadav said the interaction focused on the use of AI, sensors, remote sensing, satellite- and drone-based technologies, and data analytics to achieve a real-time understanding of air pollution.
The participating innovators demonstrated capabilities ranging from pollution analytics and aerial mapping to advanced sensing systems and source-level pollution-control technologies. The Minister emphasised that Delhi-NCR requires integrated, scalable and economically viable interventions rather than isolated technological solutions. He encouraged start-ups to align their innovations with clearly identified field-level requirements and explore mechanisms for wider deployment, implementation and monitoring.
The proposed technologies aim to support more effective pollution-source identification, improve regulatory enforcement and enable authorities to respond to emerging pollution hotspots in a timely manner.
Government, Innovators and Citizens to Work Together
The interaction marks an effort to bring together government agencies, technology innovators and field-level implementation teams to develop actionable solutions for Delhi-NCR’s air pollution challenge.
Through this engagement, the government aims to explore how affordable technologies can complement existing pollution-control measures and support more effective monitoring, enforcement, dust management, waste processing and crop-residue utilisation.
The initiative also reflects the Jan Bhagidari approach, which seeks to encourage collective participation in addressing environmental challenges. By connecting policymakers with start-ups and innovation companies, the engagement aims to identify practical solutions that can be deployed at scale to improve air quality across Delhi-NCR.
