Stubble burning: Environment ministers of Delhi, 4 other states to meet on Oct 1

The Environment Ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will meet on October 1 to debate and sort out the issue of stubble-burning which causes air pollution yearly, Union minister Prakash Javadekar stated on Tuesday.

The digital assembly can even be attended by the setting secretaries of Delhi and the 4 neighbouring states together with the members of the air pollution management boards and companies just like the NDMC and the DDA, he stated. The Union setting minister advised a press convention right here that assembly will evaluation the work completed by the states within the final two years to deal with the difficulty of crop residue burning. “At the onset of winter in Delhi, which is October 15 onwards, stubble burning commences and causes pollution throughout the winter season,” he stated. “This is not just confined to Delhi, but an air shade which extends to the NCR cities, places in Haryana, UP, Punjab and Rajasthan. Everyone bears the brunt of this air shade. So with the cooperation of all these five states we started tackling this issue in 2016,” he added.

“For this cause, a virtual meeting of the environment ministers of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will be held on October 1. Besides the environment ministers, the meeting will be attended by state environment secretaries, pollution control board members and municipal corporations, DDA and NDMC,” Javadekar advised the media.

““In 2016, the PM launched the National Air Quality Index (NAQI). We believe that acceptance of a problem is the beginning of its solution. So, this is a significant meeting. I am confident everyone will participate in the meeting,” he stated. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and components of Rajasthan appeal to consideration in the course of the paddy harvesting season between October 15 and November 15.

Farmers set their crop residue on fireplace to rapidly clear off their fields after harvesting and earlier than cultivating wheat and potato. It is likely one of the primary causes for the alarming spike in air pollution ranges in Delhi-NCR in the course of the winter season.

Last yr, Punjab produced round 20 million tonnes paddy residue and the farmers there burnt 9.eight million tonnes of it. The farmers in Haryana burnt 1.23 million tonnes out of the 7 million tonnes of paddy residue.

Despite a ban on stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, farmers proceed to defy it as there’s a brief window between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat.

The minister additionally advised the press convention that the assembly will evaluation the motion taken by states within the final two years.

“First, we will review the short term plan, medium and long term plans made in 2016. CPCB’s 50 teams visit spots and assess the situations October 15 onwards every year. The meeting will review their work in the last two years. A review of the work done by the states will also be done,” he stated.