A presumption of Stubble burning tract astatine a colony adjacent Patiala connected Thursday. (Express photograph by Harmeet Sodhi)
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P K Mishra, Monday chaired a high-level task unit gathering astatine the Prime Minister’s Office to measure readiness to tackle aerial contamination successful the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) up of the wintertime season. A reappraisal and valuation of efforts to tackle contamination from paddy stubble burning, vehicular emissions, operation and roadworthy dust, coagulated discarded and diesel generators were taken up, according to a authorities statement.
“Dr Mishra instructed Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to rigorously show and instrumentality enactment plans aimed astatine eliminating stubble burning arsenic committed successful their enactment plans. He stressed the request for afloat utilisation of CRM (crop residue management) machines, strengthening the proviso concatenation for ex-situ management, and supporting tiny industries successful briquetting and pelletising operations to heighten the economical usage of paddy straw,” said a connection issued by the Union Environment Ministry.
During the meeting, Rajesh Verma, Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), presented details connected the estimated paddy straw stubble procreation successful Punjab and Haryana. While an estimated 19.52 cardinal tonnes of paddy straw volition beryllium generated successful Punjab, successful Haryana, it is estimated to beryllium 8.10 cardinal tonnes.
“Punjab plans to negociate 11.5 cardinal tonnes of its paddy straw done in-situ harvest residue absorption and the remainder via ex-situ methods. Haryana volition likewise negociate 3.3 cardinal tonnes in-situ and usage ex-situ methods for the remainder. Over 1.50 lakh CRM machines volition beryllium disposable successful Punjab, supported by 24,736 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs). Haryana has 90,945 CRM machines supported by 6,794 CHCs,” said the situation ministry’s statement.
In addition, 2 cardinal tonnes of paddy straw volition beryllium co-fired successful 11 thermal powerfulness plants crossed the NCR. Principal Secretary Mishra besides requested main secretaries of NCR states to augment their e-Bus services successful the region. The PM eBus Sewa Scheme aims to summation e-Buses successful the state by 10,000.
The gathering was attended by Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, Delhi Police Commissioner and cardinal officials from the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Power, Petroleum, Road Transport, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Animal Husbandry, on with representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). Also successful attendance were main secretaries and their representatives from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and national territory of Delhi.