No discussion pertaining to the stubble burning was held on Thursday as Environment Ministers of neighbouring States were absent in the meeting called by Union Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
“Bizarre! Despite knowing the fact, the environment Ministers of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan skipped a crucial meeting to discuss measures that could stop further deterioration of air quality in the national Capital Region. Instead of the environment Ministers, senior officials from the States joined the meeting.
The neighbouring States of Delhi should also show seriousness in curbing the increasing air pollution in the national Capital. The air quality is expected to deteriorate further around Diwali due to local factors and regional causes such as stubble burning, mainly in Punjab and Haryana,” said Imran Hussian, Minister of Environment and Forest Delhi Government.
Delhi’s air quality was on the brink of turning severe on Thursday. The overall air quality index was recorded at 393, only seven points shy of falling in the severe category.The Uttar Pradesh Government has asked its western districts, close to NCR, to suspend all construction activities between November 1 and 10 and shut for a week industries using coal and biomass fuel to check a rise in air pollution.
Vardhan said the issue of air pollution should not be “politicised” and everyone should give their full cooperation to protect the environment. He flagged off 52 teams which would monitor violations that may result in rise in air pollution in Delhi.
Meanwhile Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said stubble burning in Punjab is the sole reason behind the rising pollution levels in the national Capital as he slammed the Centre for failing to provide straw management machinery to the farmers. Justifying his claim by showing a satellite picture of stubble burning in Punjab as well as Haryana, Kejriwal rejected the claims that Delhi’s air quality had worsened due to its traffic or industries.
“This is a satellite image… You can see the red spots which indicates stubble burning in several parts of Punjab including Bathinda and Amritsar… There cannot be a more scientific (proof) than this,” Kejriwal said while addressing the media here. “There is a small portion of Haryana (burning stubble) but its role is quite limited. Otherwise, it (stubble burning) is mostly happening in Punjab,” Kejriwal said, adding that Delhi had neither witnessed a sudden rise in vehicles plying on the road nor new industries had opened up overnight.