"Traffic congestion, industrial pollution...": Environment expert Vivek Chattopadhyay outlines contributing factors to bad AQI

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 18 : As winter approaches, bringing the national capital closer to degraded air quality and pollution levels, Environment expert Vivek Chattopadhyay outlined various factors including emission, traffic congestion, industrial pollution which contribute to pollution in the national capital.
Principal program manager of the Air Pollution Centre for Science and Environment, Vivek Chattopadhyaya emphasized the change in weather conditions which could be a major factor in worsening air quality of the city.

"In many areas of Delhi which show the air quality index, atleast 14-15 places are there where the air quality is above the very poor mark. The difference between summers and winters is that during summers the contribution of dust is major, but in winters the overall dust contribution reduces, as the wind is steady, so whatever combustion takes place, remains and the haze is increased," Chattopadhyaya said while speaking to ANI.

"The major factor is sudden change in the weather conditions which is not allowing the pollutants to disperse, and emissions are increasing. Certain new emissions take place during this period, for example, biomass burning, garbage burning, which leads to more accumulation of the pollution," he added.

"One of the major factors is traffic congestion which keeps on increasing day by day, the supply of clean fuel should be done to industries. Coal-based plants which are outside Delhi should be taken care of. We need to get to the regional level to optimize these things," he added.

One of the other major factor which also contributes to the bad air quality of the national capital and the northern India is stubble burning by the farmers, in order to quickly prepare the fields for the wheat crop.

Rice stubble burning is highest in the state of Punjab followed by Haryana.

Aam Aadmi party leader Jasmine Shah, in a press conference on Wednesday stated that there has been a reduction of 27 per cent of stubble burning incidents in Punjab when compared to last year.

"Last year, there were 1,105 incidents of stubble burning in Punjab from October 1 to October 14. It has reduced to 811 this year, which is a total reduction of 27 per cent. Last year, there were 341 incidents of stubble burning in Haryana. This year, the number of incidents has now become 417, which means 23 per cent of increase in incidents," AAP leader Jasmine Shah said in a Press conference.

Expressing concern over the issue of stubble burning, the Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned the Chief Secretaries of the Punjab and Haryana governments and asked them to explain why legal action against stubble burning in the states was not taken.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also informed that the state government has given 1.25 lakhs machines to the farmers and as a result Out of 75 lakh hectares of paddy crop, stubble of 40 lakhs is not burnt, he said as per the NGOs.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Augustine George Masih slammed both the states while noting that not a single prosecution had taken place against stubble burning incidents.

"Why states are shying of prosecuting people for stubble burning and letting go of people with nominal fine," asked the bench while expressing severe disapproval over the lack of proper legal action.

Backing the farmers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann demanded a "practical solution" from the Central government to the problem of stubble burning and sought compensation for the farmers which could be an alternative to the crop procurement.

Mann stated that the farmers dont even want to cultivate paddy but MSP is not available on an alternative crop which makes them burn the stubble which ultimately worsens the air quality.

"The issue of stubble burning is not limited to any one state. It is the issue of the whole of the Northern India. If PM Modi can stop the Ukraine war like they showed in the ad, can they not stop the smoke here? He should make all the states sit together, give compensation, call scientists. The farmers don't want to burn stubble. The farmers don't even want to cultivate paddy but MSP is not available on an alternative crop," Mann said.

"When the paddy is produced the farmers are praised, but what about the stubble? Then they want to charge a fine... We don't know if Punjab's smoke reaches Delhi or not but the smoke harms the farmer and his village first," he added.

"We have been asking for compensation to stop the burning but they (centre) have been asking us to encourage the farmers against it... Encouragement does not work, practical steps need to be taken," Mann said.

To stop the farmers from burning the stubble, the state government of Haryana in an official order stated that as per the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), FIR should be registered against all farmers who burn or have burnt paddy crop residue during the current season from 15 September 2024.

"A red entry should be made in the Meri Fasal Mera Bayora (MFMB) record of farmers who are found involved in paddy crop residue burning which will restrict the farmers to sell their crops in the mandis through e-Kharid portal during the next two seasons," said a notice by the Haryana Government.

Haryana Deputy Director of Agriculture, Dr Wazir Singh while speaking to ANI said," 57 cases of stubble burning have been registered so far in Haryana. a fine of Rs 1,07,000 has been imposed by the department. Additionally, FIRs have been filed against nine farmers for stubble burning. Guidelines have been issued by the government regarding the stubble burning"