Five States to gear up to tackle agricultural stubble burning problems

The Commission for Air Quality Management has said that Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi have developed detailed monitorable action plans to tackle the problem of agricultural stubble burning and air pollution. The plans have been formulated based on the framework made by the commission and directions have been issued for strict implementation of the action plans. 

Environment Ministry said, one lakh 43 thousand 801 machines are already available for crop residue management. It said, another 56 thousand 513 machines are being procured in the current year. The Ministry said, directions have been issued for adopting a Standard protocol developed by ISRO for recording and monitoring the fire counts owing to Stubble burning. 

The directions have also been issued to NCR state Governments, Delhi government, road owning agencies and municipal bodies for abatement of dust from Roads and open areas through a Dust Control and Management Cell.

For mitigating the Industrial Pollution, the Commission informed that shifting of Industries to PNG and Cleaner Fuels is a



priority.

Delhi has now completely switched over to PNG and Cleaner fuels for all of its identified industries. In NCR, Haryana has so far shifted 408 industrial units out of 1469 identified industrial units. In Uttar Pradesh one thousand 167 industries, out of two thousand 273 industrial units and in Rajasthan, 124 out of 436 identified industries have been shifted to PNG. 

With a view to minimize coal in industries, Governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been advised to prepare action plan for shifting of industries to cleaner fuels in the NCR Districts, where Gas infrastructure is already available.

Vehicular Pollution is another major source of Air Pollution and the Commission has issued advisory for mandating procurement of zero emission and e-vehicles to give a further push to clean technologies in transport sector. A dedicated taskforce envisaged in each NCR state to continuously monitor and take steps regularly to ensure smooth traffic management, including developing an Intelligent Traffic Management System.