CAQM reviews steps against stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh: The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Thursday reviewed the Punjab and Haryana governments’ enforcement measures, district-level preparedness and monitoring mechanisms for effective paddy stubble management.

Commission Chairperson Rajesh Verma held separate review meetings with officials of both the states to review measures being undertaken for prevention and control of paddy stubble burning and abatement of other key sources of air pollution, calling for prompt action on the ground, said an official statement.

In the meeting with Punjab officials, the CAQM team reviewed availability, deployment and effective utilisation of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery at the district and farmer levels, along with the identification of gaps in machinery utilisation and arrangements for the collection, transportation and utilisation of paddy straw through in-situ and ex-situ management, it said.

The Commission emphasised the need to strengthen the crop-residue supply chain and ensure effective utilisation of available machinery during the peak harvesting period.

The meeting also covered field validation of burnt-area assessment through satellite-based fire alerts, along with district-wise deployment of drones and low-cost sensors for monitoring stubble-burning incidents.

In his discussions with Haryana officials, Verma covered a broader range of air pollution sources, including paddy stubble burning, abatement of vehicular pollution, dust from roads and open areas, dust from construction and demolition (C&D) activities and industrial pollution, along with other identified sectoral measures.

With regard to paddy stubble burning, the Commission reviewed implementation of the State Action Plan, including on-ground enforcement, deployment and utilisation of CRM machinery, crop-residue supply-chain management, field validation of burnt-area assessment and the use of drones and low-cost sensors for monitoring burning incidents, said the statement.

The Commission emphasised that paddy stubble management should be pursued not merely as a measure to prevent burning, but as an opportunity to improve the well-being of citizens while fostering a robust industrial ecosystem of a circular economy, with greater utilisation of paddy straw as a resource.

The Commission called for prompt action at the ground level and further cautioned the District Administrations that any laxity that leads to a rise in stubble-burning incidents shall be viewed seriously, the statement said.

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