There is no conclusive study available that burning of paddy straw crop residue in the States like Punjab and Haryana would always impact quality of air in the States/UT like Rajasthan, Delhi etc. As per the Report of IIT, Kanpur, the back trajectory analyses suggest that the Crop Residue Burning and other biomass emissions may be transported to Delhi from the sources upwind of Delhi.
(b) Burning of paddy stubble has been banned in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
(c) Delhi High Court has assigned the responsibility of prevention of stubble burning and biomass on the Chief Secretaries of the concerned State Governments. The State Governments have initiated steps for compliance.
(d) Available satellite images indicate that the enforcement of ban on paddy stubble burning in farmlands of Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh has not been fully implemented and there has been significant level of stubble burning. The incidents of stubble burning increase during the post harvesting period as farmers prepare their fields for next sowing season.
(e) Government has been monitoring various preventive measures to curb the burning of paddy stubble/crops residue and check the pollution level in Delhi and NCR at regular intervals. Honble Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change, convened six meetings on 6th April, 2015, 13th April, 2015, 24th July, 2015, 6th November, 2015, 27th April, 2016 and 7th November, 2016 with Environment Ministers and senior officers of NCR States/UT of Delhi. Four Secretary level meetings were held on 10th November, 2014, 11th February, 2015 and 3rd March, 2015 and 4th November, 2016. Apart from this, regular meetings are being held under the Chairmanship of Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The implementation of air pollution control measures is an on-going process. Violations relating to stubble burning have been reported from States. State Governments have been requested to enforce the ban relating to burning of stubble during various review meetings. CPCB has issued comprehensive directions including control of stubble burning under Section 18(1)(b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 on 29.12.2015 to NCR States / NCT of Delhi for prohibiting or restricting the open burning of straw.
This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) in Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Anil Madhav Dave, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
