CAQM assesses anti-stubble burning preparedness of States
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas has reviewed State action plans and preparedness for elimination of paddy stubble-burning incidents during the upcoming paddy harvesting season, officials said on Thursday.
The review took place at a meeting on Wednesday, convened by CAQM with senior officials from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Governments, including deputy commissioners/district magistrates (DCs/DMs) of hotspot districts.
Representatives of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) also attended the meeting. “During the meeting, the urgent need for systematic and coordinated preparedness ahead of the forthcoming paddy harvesting season was highlighted,” an official said.
“The importance of strengthening both in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management mechanisms, along with focused enforcement and awareness measures, was also emphasised to ensure effective implementation at the field level,” the official added.
It was also noted that stubble burning is not a seasonal concern but a larger air pollution mitigation challenge throughout the year, affecting the ambient air quality across the region.
To tackle the situation, deliberations were held on key operational and logistical aspects, including timely availability of crop residue management (CRM) machines, promotion of zero stubble-burning villages through incentives, and enforcement measures for ensuring compliance etc.
Several action points emerged from the meeting, such as Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have to submit detailed reports on the status of functional CRM machines within two months.
These states also have to strengthen preventive measures to avoid accidental fires, leading to spurt in stubble burning.
“The stakeholder agencies concerned and officials assured the commission that necessary measures and coordinated efforts would be undertaken for effective implementation of the state action plans and for prevention and elimination of stubble burning during the forthcoming harvesting season,” said the official.
