Stubble burning: Delhi awaits reply from neighbouring states on preventive steps

NEW DELHI: Weeks after the Environment Department wrote to the neighbouring states regarding the caution over the stubble burning, there has been no response yet from the states. However, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has slammed the report that stubble burning has started in the state.

"It's raining heavily for the last few days, hence there cannot be any kind of stubble burning. Moreover, this year we have not received any such complaints. The satellite images are available for all and anyone can check if there is any stubble burning or not," a senior official of HSPCB told the Millennium Post.

Ahead of winters, Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain last week asked ministers in neighboring states to take preventive and precautionary measures to curb air pollution resulting from stubble burning.

In a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Uttar Pradesh Environment Minister Dara Singh Chauhan, Rajasthan Environment Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar and Haryana Environment Minister Vipul Goel, Hussain said the particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other secondary pollutants rise in Delhi-NCR in the month of October which coincides with crop burning in the neighbouring states.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also asked the neighboring states to submit an action plan for curbing the pollution caused by crop burning after the harvesting season.

"It is therefore requested that authorities concerned may be directed to take preventive, precautionary and controlling measures for air pollution resulting from crop residue so that air pollution levels in Delhi could be restricted during the critical period," Hussain said in the letter.

"The department has not yet received any communication from the states but we are hopeful that the governments will not allow crop burning," said an official. However, the Delhi government has no information regarding the crop burning in the neighbouring states.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court appointed body EPCA has reported that the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be initiated from October 15 which will continue till March 15.

The GRAP can also be applied to the neighboring states and the NCR because the EPCA has found that the implementation of such rule to the neighboring states will ensure better days in Delhi. The GRAP included ban on use of generators, entry of trucks at night, halt on construction activities besides series of measures.