NCR states given 10 days to check stubble burning

UNION ENVIRONMENT MINISTER VARDHAN CHAIRED A MEETING TO REVIEW PREPAREDNESS OF NCR STATES FOR PREVENTING A SPIKE IN POLLUTION IN WINTER

NEW DELHI: Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday asked Delhi’s neighbouring states to ensure that farm equipment being distributed to tackle stubble burning should be made available to farmers in the next 10 days in order to prevent stubble burning this paddy harvest season.

Vardhan was chairing a meeting to review the preparedness of NCR states for preventing a spike in pollution during winter.

“Centre has provided all possible assistance including grant of ₹1,150 crore from Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) to tackle stubble burning to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and also provided financial assistance under Urban Development Fund (UDF) to Delhi for procurement of mechanical road sweeping machines, water sprinklers and greening,” the ministry said in a statement.

The state governments are giving subsidies to farm cooperatives, which then procure the equipment and rent it out to individual farmers.

The meeting reviewed steps taken to address air pollution during winter in Delhi-ncr. According to the Central government, the combined total of ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’ and ‘moderate’ days increased from 144 in 2017 to 149 in 2018. While the number of ‘poor’, ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ days decreased from 125 in 2017 to 120 in 2018 till date.

Vardhan said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has deployed 41 teams in Delhi-ncr for ground-level inspection of pollution sources. It has also issued directions to state pollution control boards (SPCBS), MCDS, construction agencies, transport and agricultural departments to prepare targeted action plans.

Several steps such as restriction on the use of pet coke and furnace oil in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, introduction of BS-VI compliant petrol in Delhi since April 2018, conversion of brick kilns to zigzag technology, issuance of list of approved fuels permissible for use within the borders of Delhi, operationalisation of Eastern Peripheral Expressway to ease congestion and diversion of traffic from Delhi, financial incentive for in situ crop residue management in Haryana and Punjab, are likely to have a positive impact on the air quality in the coming months, Vardhan said.