Over 4300 stubble burning incidents in Punjab, Haryana between Sep 15-Nov 10, SC told

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Over 4,000 and 360 incidents of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana were detected between September 15 and November 10 and over 1,500 polluting industrial units have been closed in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to contain the grave air pollution in the national capital region, the Supreme Court was told.

The steps taken so far to deal with the worsening air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR were referred to in two separate affidavits filed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in pursuance with the apex court's directions.

On November 3, a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai directed CAQM to file an affidavit detailing the steps it has taken so far to prevent air pollution in Delhi-NCR from deteriorating further.

Prior to this, while permitting the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali, the bench had asked the CPCB to hold meetings with the SPCBs and monitor the air quality index (AQI) starting from October 14, till October 25 and file a report before the court.

The CAQM, in its 46 page affidavit, said that stubble burning remained a matter of "serious concern" which aggravated the air pollution situation in the National Capital Region and said this "seasonal phenomenon" continues to contribute significantly.

"The Commission has been maintaining a close watch on the number of active fire counts detected through satellite monitoring and has been engaging with the state governments on a daily basis to ensure immediate remedial and preventive actions," it said.

Providing a summary of monitoring and enforcement actions taken by the governments of Punjab and Haryana, it said that 4195 stubble burning incidents were reported from September 15 to November 10 in Punjab and contributed significantly to the deterioration of air quality in the region.

It also said 363 of paddy stubble burning incidents were reported in Haryana during the same time period.

"To ensure effective on-ground supervision, the commission has deployed 31 flying squads assisted by the CPCB in the various districts of Punjab and Haryana to oversee implementation of the state/district action plans and coordinate directly with district administrations for enhanced enforcement," it said.

On the issue of vehicular pollution, it said this remained the predominant contributor to PM2.5 emissions. Giving a breakup on polluting industrial units, it said a total of 1556 have been asked to close down at the moment keeping in mind the pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

Out of total 1,556 polluting industrial units, which have been closed down, 264, 234, 637, 121 such units are in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The affidavit said, "Recognizing this challenge, the commission has accorded highest priority to the prevention and control of paddy stubble burning and has consistently pursued a multi-front strategy combining enforcement, targeted interventions and technological solutions." It said, "The Commission has been maintaining a close watch on the number of active fire counts detected through satellite monitoring and has been engaging with the state governments on a daily basis to ensure immediate remedial and preventive actions." The CAQM) said it is tackling the situation in a "proactive and collaborative" manner.

"To assess the preparedness and also review the actions undertaken by various authorities, a series of important 3 meetings have been convened at different levels with the concerned stakeholder agencies, including respective state governments/GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi)," the affidavit read.

The CPCB, in its separate affidavit, outlined measures to prevent the situation from turning "severe".

It said stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was invoked on October 19 when the Air Quality Index (AQI) entered the "very poor" range.

The GRAP is a framework designed to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR region through a tiered system of measures based on the severity of air quality.

The affidavit said Delhi-NCR now operates 83 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), including 39 in Delhi, ensuring uninterrupted data for timely implementation of GRAP.

It also highlighted enhanced public access to live air quality updates, health advisories, and complaint mechanisms through the CPCB's SAMEER app.

It also said the CPCB is supporting paddy-straw pellet plants in Punjab and Haryana to promote cleaner alternatives and deter stubble burning.

Underlining its efforts to tackle the situation, CAQM said that it had invoked GRAP (Graded response action plan) Stage 1 and 2 on October 14 and 19 respectively.

It further informed that the AQI (air quality index) of Delhi varied from 170 on October 10 to 362 on November 10.

The top court is expected to hear the plea on November 17 and pass further directions in the case. PTI SKM MDB SJK ZMN