- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) deployed flying squads and inspection teams to Moga District, Punjab, to review ground-level enforcement measures during the 2026 paddy harvesting season. - The primary focus of the visits is to curb stubble burning (paddy residue burning), a major contributor to severe winter air pollution spikes across the Delhi-NCR region. - The review emphasizes strict adherence to action plans, monitoring crop residue management (CRM) machinery deployment, and active engagement with local administrative machinery and farmers. - Institutional coordination between central agencies and state authorities (Punjab and Haryana) is critical for addressing transboundary environmental issues like seasonal air pollution. - **Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):** A statutory body established to coordinate, monitor, and plan for air quality management in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas, replacing fragmented bodies like EPCA with binding executive powers. - **Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021:** The legislation enacted in 2021 giving statutory backing and overriding administrative powers to the CAQM to tackle air pollution across northern states. **Introduction** The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) dispatched inspection teams to Moga District in Punjab to oversee enforcement and preventive measures against paddy stubble burning during the 2026 harvesting season. The initiative targets mitigating seasonal air pollution in Delhi-NCR by ensuring effective ground-level execution of Crop Residue Management (CRM) plans and inter-state administrative coordination. **Core Issue and Detailed Points** - The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) deployed flying squads and inspection teams to Moga District, Punjab, to review ground-level enforcement measures during the 2026 paddy harvesting season. - The primary focus of the visits is to curb stubble burning (paddy residue burning), a major contributor to severe winter air pollution spikes across the Delhi-NCR region. - The review emphasizes strict adherence to action plans, monitoring crop residue management (CRM) machinery deployment, and active engagement with local administrative machinery and farmers. - Institutional coordination between central agencies and state authorities (Punjab and Haryana) is critical for addressing transboundary environmental issues like seasonal air pollution. **Key Statutory Bodies, Acts & Concepts** - **Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):** A statutory body established to coordinate, monitor, and plan for air quality management in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas, replacing fragmented bodies like EPCA with binding executive powers. - **Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021:** The legislation enacted in 2021 giving statutory backing and overriding administrative powers to the CAQM to tackle air pollution across northern states.