Haryana Government is working on a multi-pronged strategy to effectively deal with air pollution in various parts of the state, said Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Climate Change) Dheera Khandelwal.
“Stubble burning contributes only 25-30 per cent to air pollution and 70-75 per cent impact is due to other factors like industries emissions, vehicular emissions, smoke from brick kilns, garbage burning among others in the state,” senior IAS officer said while talking to The Pioneer.
The problem of air pollution also increases especially during winter due to the slow movement of the wind. The smoke and fog become stagnate near the ground, forming smog and increasing pollution levels, she added.
Khandelwal said, “To end the menace of stubble burning, the State Government has directed all thermal power plants to procure crop residue or agriculture waste from farmers and utilise it for generating power along with coal. Biomass co-firing has the potential to reduce emissions from coal-fuelled generation without much cost escalation.”
The Government has issued an advisory to all public and private power generating companies to endeavour to use 5 to 10 per cent biomass pellets primarily made of agro residue, along with coal, she said.
She said that as per reports, with coal-based generation of 1,96,098 MW, about 100 million tonnes of agro residue can be absorbed in coal-based power plants through 10 per cent co-firing with non-torrefied pellets, reducing carbon emission.
India generates about 145 million tonnes a year of surplus agro residue and this can generate 18,728 MW of electricity in a year.
The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) said that with the implementation of multi-cornered strategy to check air pollution, the state would have zero stubble burning cases in the next two years.
“The State Government has been providing facilities to farmers so that they don't burn stubble. The government has been offering subsidy on agriculture equipments to farmers to curb stubble burning nuisance. The Government has also decided to pay its small and marginal farmers Rs 100 per quintal for non-basmati produce against a commitment that they won’t burn stubble,” she said.
The officer said that Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has already engaged the Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) to monitor the seasonal stubble burning in areas where rice is grown. Incidences of burning of wheat stubble are also being monitored. HSPCB has adopted other strategies which include educating farmers and taking punitive measures under the law.
“Awareness among the farmers is being created to make use of stubble and cow dung. The Agriculture Department has also formulated an action plan for utilisation of paddy straw. There are technologies available to produce environment-friendly bricks by utilisation of waste material,” she added.
On the incidents of stubble burning, she claimed that as per NASA satellite imagery and Haryana Space Applications Centre and other available reports, the incidents of crop burning in Haryana have significantly come down this year. Reports suggest that Haryana has witnessed 5,463 cases of stubble burning so far this year, a bit lower than what it had seen in the corresponding period of the last year. Last year, 5, 935 cases of stubble burning were reported.It is true that the national capital region of Haryana and its surrounding areas like Rohtak, Faridabad, Gurugram and others have been witnessing an alarming rate of air pollution especially during winter months, she said.
Notably, various districts of Haryana have reported air quality index in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ category this past fortnight. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe-plus emergency' category.
Replying to a question on farmers in the agrarian states particularly Haryana continuing to set paddy residue on fire despite a ban on this practice, she said that many have been slapped with fines and others booked for stubble burning.
She said that a study, conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) shows that vehicle pollution is the cause of 28 per cent of PM 2.5 emissions. Vehicular pollution can be broken up into: trucks and tractors generating 9 per cent, 7 per cent from two-wheelers, 5 per cent from three-wheelers, 3 per cent each from cars and buses, and 1 per cent from light commercial vehicles.
Traffic congestion also increases vehicle emissions and degrades ambient air quality. Police Department has been directed to ensure that there is smooth flow of traffic in the affected areas of the state, Khandelwal said.
On the brick kilns emissions, she said that there are technologies available to produce environment-friendly bricks by utilisation of waste material. The officials concerned have been directed to ensure that all brick kilns implement the "zig-zag" technology, as specified by the Ministry Of Environment and Forests, which can reduce emissions by 80 per cent. Around 1, 000 brick kilns have been closed till the next order to combat air pollution in the state, she added.
Also, it has been observed that sweepers are in practice of burning garbage after collecting it in the morning. Therefore, sanitation staff will be challaned now and there is a provision of imposing a penalty of minimum Rs 2, 000, Rs 5,000 and maximum Rs 25,000 for burning waste in the open, she added.
About awareness campaigns on stubble burning, she said that Education Department has set up "Eco Clubs" in each government senior secondary school of the state to create awareness about clean environment. Each school is given financial assistance of Rs 2, 000 for the same purpose. Haryana has become the first state in the country where all schools have eco clubs, she added.
In an innovative scheme to ensure the active participation of school students in environment conservation, the State Government has decided to give incentive of Rs 50 per student for every live tree planted by them after every six months. This incentive would be given for a period of three years, the ACS said.
Besides, they would also be provided with a book based on environment conservation. To enable the students to build a connection with the trees they plant; the students would be allowed to name the plant after any great personality or their ancestors, she added.