‘No salary if stubble burning does not stop’

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal warned the governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Friday that it would stop salaries of government officials if the authorities fail to come up with an action plan to prevent stubble burning, which triggers heavy pollution in Delhi-NCR, within a week.

“This is your final and last opportunity. If within a week you don’t come up with an action plan on how to prevent stubble burning in at least one district in your state, we would be compelled to attach your treasury and bank account. You won’t get salary,” a bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said on Friday.

The NGT had in November 2015 banned crop residue burning in five states— Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The Delhi high court had also directed the states to ensure the ban. But after NASA imageries cited fresh cases of stubble burning in May this year, the NGT had directed the states to come up with action plans on preventing the menace.

“We cannot subject everybody to ill-health just because you don’t work. You had more than a year to implement it. This is the fourth time we are telling you to come up with action plan,” the bench observed.

Pollution levels in Delhi shoot up in September-October primarily because of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.

A kilo of stubble burning could release around 3 kilos of particulate matter and more than 1400 kilos of carbon dioxide along with other gases.