In-spite of the agriculture department efforts ns motivating farmers not to burn stubble in open, the number of such burning ases in Haryana state is continuously rising and recorded more than 650 cases thus spreading pollution in the air, in which Kaithal topped not only in Haryana but also in the country recording very poor air quality index (AQI) 372 on Saturday and Sunday. Kurukshetra was ranked second in the state where AQI was recorded as 258.
Among the 23 cities with ‘poor’ air quality on the Central Pollution Control Board’s AQI list, nine including Kurukshetra (277), Jind (211), Panipat (236), Sonepat (256), Rohtak (247), Hisar (232), Fatehabad (207), Ballabgarh (204) and Bahadurgarh (218) were from Haryana. Whereas, the air quality index in the range of 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe.
With few fresh cases of farm fires in the state reported on Sunday morning, the number of farm fires in the state have increased to 653 in which Kaithal has reported the had maximum 127 farm fires, Kurukshetra has reported 91 cases, followed by Ambala 74 cases, Karnal 68 cases, Jind 49 cases, Sonepat 40 cases, Fatehabad 40 cases, Faridabad 30 cases, Panipat 29 cases, Palwal 28 cases, Yamunanagar 24 cases, Hisar 18 cases, Sirsa 16 cases, Panchkula 14 cases, Rohtak 6. Environmental experts said that besides paddy stubble burning, the change in climatic condition is a major factor behind the current situation. Information revealed that fire was seen in about 450 places, whereas smoke was observed in about 200 places which affected the air quality.
A senior official in the pollution control board said the Agriculture Department was making efforts to reduce stubble burning by motivating farmers and also issuing challans to them. He said that Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad while talking to media persons said that Supreme Court of India has taken a serious view about stubble burning in open fields as such Red Entry against those farmers burning stubble in open in which the alleged farmer will not be allowed to sell crop in grain markets for two seasons and crop will not be purchased from him on minimum support price, besides stern action will be taken against employees as many as about 100 on the hit list allegedly having no proper check over illegal activities.
According to a spokesperson of the swstate pollution control board the GRAP stage 1 restrictions are already in force and for non-NCR regions, the pollution control board will also take appropriate action. In adversely affected districts like Kurukshetra and Kaithal, there are not much construction and industrial activities, but the flow of air from Punjab towards Haryana carries harmful stubble burning impact, dust thus causing pollution as well as smag in the atmosphere, which are some major contributing factors.
