EPCA warns states over fresh crop burning

It is also to be noted that the days when air quality was ‘very poor’, wind speed was also very low. The situation is gradually turning bad.

The Supreme Courtappointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) on Friday expressed concern over bad air quality in the Capital against the backdrop of crop burning gaining pace in the northern region.

The EPCA, which has been spearheading crucial anti-pollution measures, warned the state governments of the northern states to “stop being in denial” and get their act together.

EPCA chairman Bhure Lal asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to consider setting up air quality monitoring stations in rural areas so that people realise the enormity of the situation before setting their fields on fire.

He said the states need to explore, on a war-footing, measures to discourage farmers from the practice of burning crop residue and dismissed the contention of Punjab and Haryana that the situation was not “that bad”.

“The situation has to be tackled. It is going out of hand. We have to stop being in denial and desist from jugglery of numbers to paint a rosy picture,” he told the representatives of the states in a meeting of the authority on Friday.

According to EPCA’s findings, around 10% of the days since March 1 witnessed “very poor” quality air in the city while the rest have seen AQI (air quality index) in the moderate to poor categories.

“It is also to be noted that the days when air quality was ‘very poor’, wind speed was also very low. The situation is gradually turning bad,” an EPCA member said.

In the meeting, it was decided that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will monitor air quality on a regular basis and advice the SC-appointed body to further firm up measures, if required.

According to satellite data, the agricultural landscape of Punjab and Haryana is dotted with fires billowing out pollutant-laden smoke as farmers have set fire to the residues of the Rabi crop to usher in the Kharif season.

In fact, according to the data of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the practice seems to have spread across the country and the situation was grim in parts of Central India.