NGT asks chief secys of Punjab, Haryana to appear on Nov 15

any of the states or the central government. We have perused the affidavits and reports from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, NCR of Delhi and also reports of the ministry of agriculture, Government of India.

“The fact remains that the problem has not been fully tackled and the adverse impacts on the air quality and consequent impacts on the citizens’ health and lives are undisputed. The problem is required to be resolved by taking all such measures as are possible in the interest of public health and environment protection,” the bench said.

It said that it was not considering the issue of adverse coercive measures like prosecution etc. for offences under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 or other applicable laws but it does not see any difficulty why such economic incentives should not be duly planned or executed. “We make it clear that the existing minimum support price (MSP) scheme must be so interpreted so as to enable the concerned states to wholly or partly deny the benefit of MSP to those who continue to burn the crop residue. If any such disbursements have already been made with respect to this year’s paddy crop, the same can be adjusted in the future. Such a scheme may be worked out and notified forthwith preferably by November 14 this year “The short time is being given on account of urgency of situation with regard to deteriorating air quality prevailing in NCT of Delhi and adjoining areas,” the bench said.

It had said that every year in October, the air quality in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana plummets as farmers set the leftover stubble and loose straw on fire after paddy is harvested using combines. It had also claimed that over the last two years, the central and state governments have devised a number of measures to prevent crop burning — from slapping fines on farmers to subsidising equipment that allow seeds of the next wheat crop to be planted with the stubble still on the fields.

The Punjab government had earlier faced the wrath of the tribunal for not taking effective steps to provide financial assistance and infrastructure facility to farmers to encourage them not to burn agricultural residue in their fields.

It had said the Punjab government had also failed to tie up with any company, private or public, which could utilise the crop residue.

HT FILE A green tribunal bench, headed by NGT chairperson justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said there is a need to find out a longlasting solution to the problems of stubble burning.