Punjab Stubble Burning: Green Tribunal Highlights Gaps, Demands Revised Action Plan

The NGT has asked the Punjab government to revise its action plan in order to address and reduce stubble burning.

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday called for an amended action plan from the Punjab government to address stubble burning, denouncing the plan initially submitted, news agency PTI reported. 

According to the report, in a recent hearing on stubble burning in Punjab, the NGT proposed the inclusion of various new components in the revised plan. The tribunal emphasised the need for periodic air quality analysis at appropriate intervals, particularly during harvesting seasons and post-harvesting. It recommended the installation of an adequate number of ambient air quality monitoring stations, especially at hotspots, the report added. 

Last November, the NGT directed the Punjab government to formulate and submit a time-bound action plan, outlining phase-wise proposed actions from January to September 2024. This plan should detail measures to prevent stubble burning, along with information on authorities responsible for its implementation.

Pointing out deficiencies in the submitted plan, the NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava stated, "We find that the action plan is more or less an expression of a routine exercise with a component lacking in a definitive time schedule," as reported by PTI. The bench, including judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, denounced the report for its lack of "proper linkages". 

The NGT underscored that the limited timeframe between harvest and sowing compels farmers to resort to stubble burning. The tribunal urged the inclusion of specific components in the new plan, such as assessing the agriculture area and cultivation extent between August and September each year, mechanical stubble removal, processing, monitoring, surveillance, hotspot identification, and immediate remedial action on farm fires.

Emphasising the need for a time frame and budgetary support for these components, the NGT directed the Punjab government to comply with the issues raised. The tribunal requested the submission of a fresh action report, along with an amended action plan, at least one week before the next hearing on March 22.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana significantly contributes to air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Territory (NCT) area during winter.