'Satellite Images in Red': NGT Pulls Up Punjab Govt Over Farm Fires

Asking why there has been no significant improvement, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday slammed Punjab government for hike in farm fires amid air pollution crisis in Delhi and adjoining cities.

During a hearing over pollution, NGT said the entire state even today is visible in red in satellite images, adding that why is the situation not improving if action is being taken. Punjab government said that nearly 30 per cent reduction in farm fires has been seen till November 19.

The principal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed all the Chief Secretaries of the states, where AQI in cities dipped or continued to be severe, very poor and poor, to take all possible immediate remedial measures and ensure that the air quality improves, LiveLaw reported.

The development reportedly came after the reports were submitted by various state authorities in pursuance of NGT’ s direction.

On the basis of the reports, NGT said it “clearly depicts that the concerned authorities somewhere are lacking in making the desired efforts which could bring about improvement in the air quality.”

“The reports have been filed by the State of Bihar, Punjab Pollution control Board State of MP, Gujarat Pollution control Board State of Haryana, State of UP, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Deputy Commissioner. Ludhiana, Punjab, Environment Department, Govt. of H.P.Central Pollution Control Board [CPCB] and Commission of Air Quality Management (CAOM) in NCR & Adjoining Areas. We have perused these reports and also have heard the Learned Counsels for the parties. We find what in these reports mostly long-term action plans for controlling the immediate remediate remedial action, has not been fully complied with, the tribunal said.

It further said that though, the Counsels for the parties have stated that adequate action has been taken to control the pollution but a perusal of the chart reproduced above does not depict any significant improvement, the report mentioned.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police has registered 932 FIRs against farmers for burning crop residue since November 8 while a fine of Rs 1.67 crore has been imposed in 7,405 cases, a senior official said on Sunday.

According to the Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla, red entries were made in the revenue records of 340 farmers for stubble burning. He said concerted efforts by the Punjab Police to prevent stubble burning have yielded significant results as case of farm fire fell “drastically” in the last two days. On Sunday and Saturday, the state recorded 740 and 637 farm fire cases respectively.

Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November. Delhi’s air quality index stood at 290 at 7 am. The 24-hour average AQI of Delhi, recorded at 4 pm every day, was 319 on Saturday, 405 on Friday and 419 on Thursday. In many parts of Haryana and Punjab, air quality indices remained in ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ categories. Amid a spike in pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on November 7 directed Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to ensure crop residue burning was stopped “forthwith”, saying it cannot let “people die” due to pollution.

Thereafter, DGP Gaurav Yadav appointed Arpit Shukla the police nodal officer to monitor action against stubble burning. In a statement, Shukla said legal action is being initiated against those found burning stubble. He exhorted farmers to cooperate and not burn crop residue, which will not only lead to the deterioration of the environment but will also affect the health of children.

The Punjab police chief has also been holding daily meetings with senior officers, range officers, police commissioners, senior superintendents of police and station house officers to review stubble burning cases and issued show cause notices to SSPs of those districts, which have witnessed a high stubble burning cases. Shukla, who has been visiting districts to review the ground-level situation, termed this significant downfall in farm fire cases a result of untiring efforts by the police personnel and civil administration officials working at the ground level.

As many as 1,072 flying squads comprising police and civil officials have been keeping vigil, while senior police officials have been holding meetings with farmer leaders at a district level. At least 2,189 such meetings have been held since November 8.

(With inputs from agencies)