PM reviews pollution situation in North India

New Delhi, Nov. 5: As the air quality in DelhiNCR hovered between “severe” and “very poor” category, a top agriculture ministry official on Tuesday mooted crop diversification and shift to a short duration paddy crop to reduce stubble burning in northern states that has been primarily blamed for pollution during winter months.

The pollution situation in northern India was also reviewed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after the Supreme Court ordered an immediate and complete stop to stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh blamed for 46 per cent of the pollution in Delhi-National Capital Region(NCR).

The top court did some tough-talking and had warned that the administration at large will be made accountable even if there is a single incident of stubble burning henceforth. It issued a slew of directions that also included stopping all construction and demolition activities as well as garbage and waste burning in DelhiNCR till further orders.

monitoring teams should be deployed on the field to ensure that the "violators are takento task by imposing suitable penalties", it said.

The situation in the national capital where different agencies are coordinating was also discussed and it was felt that there was a need for enhanced efforts to control the situation.

The states have also been directed to ensure that they are fully prepared for meeting any exigency in the future, it said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to discuss the pollution situation in northern India.