SATISH HANDA
People residing at Delhi-NCR area facing severe health disorders including lungs, respiratory and heart diseases due to heavy pollution in the environments as a result of burning crop remains in open. In-spite of tall claims by Haryana state government to control and take stern action against those violating directions to burn crop remains in open nearly and according to information nearly 39% increase in burning cases has been reported this year in the state.
However, according to past two years records nearly50%drop in crop remains burning cases has been seen in five states which include 39.1% drop in burning cases in Haryana state as compared to previous year, 37.2% drop in Punjab state, 9.7% drop in U.P state, 66% drop in Rajasthan state, 71.4% drop in M.P state between the period September 15 to November 15 this year. Though, Punjab state recorded 37.2% drop in burning cases this year but still the number of burning cases was much higher as compared to above five states this year.
Government had spent budget for amount worth Rs 700 crore to curb burning of paddy crop remains in open through installation of high resolution cameras to detect violations of directions to burn crop remain in open spending huge amount as per information by Indian Council of Agriculture Research but failed to get desired results. Information reveals, amount worth Rs 1726.67 crore has already been spent by the government in past few years. According to information, last year till month November 20 about 234 crop remain burning cases were recorded, whereas the number of such cases has increased to 331 this year, as such Delhi-NCR area facing swear smoke containing harmful contents during day time causing respiration problems especially for children and old-age persons.
Six districts in Haryana state has been identified highly polluted and extremely harmful for health having Air Quality Index (AQI) level as 471mg at Gurugram, 467 mg at Faridabad, 445 mg at Ballabhgarh, 466 mg at Hisar, 460 mg at Jind and 486 mg at Charkhi Dadri. According to information, 11 towns in Haryana state including Bahaurgarh, Bhiwani, Daruheda, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Panipat, Rohtak, Sonepat, Kaithal, Kaithal and Yamunanagar has been identified highly polluted having AQI ranging between 310 to 398 mg containing poisonous gases: Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide. Districts Faridabad, Gurugram, Bahadurgarh, Jind, Hisar and Panipat districts in the state has been declared Red Alert, whereas another 13 districts in the state has been declared Orange Alert.
