Got positive help from Punjab, Haryana on stubble burning: Environment minister – EQ Mag Pro
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday that the Centre has got “constructive cooperation” from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments on the issue of stubble burning.
Yadav had held a key meeting last month with the governments of Delhi and its neighbouring states Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on the action plan to mitigate air pollution caused by stubble burning.
Yadav said discussions were held last month over the implementation of action plans by states to mitigate pollution due to agriculture stubble burning, dust, construction and demolition waste, and vehicular pollution, according to news agency PTI.
The environment minister said with technologies available now, there was economic viability of stubble nowadays. “The state-run NTPC had earlier floated a tender to buy farm stubble for use as fuel at power plants,” the minister said, adding that several private firms showed interest to conduct experiments under which stubble or crop residue is turned into manure.
Yadav said the agriculture ministry has allotted close to ₹7,000 crore to states such as Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to mitigate the impacts of air pollution.
Farmers in Punjab, Haryana and some other states set their fields on fire to clear off crop residue left after harvesting and before cultivating wheat and potato, a practice which experts have claimed is one of the main reasons for the spike in pollution in Delhi ahead of the winter season.
The minister said equipment to monitor air quality has been set up in 132 cities across the country.
“Climate change is a global challenge. India recognises the urgency of strong climate action to stay within the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement,” Yadav was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“India has taken many steps on clean energy, energy efficiency and biodiversity. We have set an ambitious renewable energy target of 450 gigawatts by 2030,” Yadav stressed while speaking on India’s climate action plan ahead of the United Nations climate change conference (COP26) scheduled in Glasgow, Scotland in November.
Source : PTI
