Tackling pollution

A day after the Supreme Court lamented that, in the absence of executive action, it has to set the agenda over the high pollution level in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management deliberated on the matter on Tuesday, at the highest court’s bidding. The meeting, in which representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi were present, saw these states making proposals to reduce pollution in the NCR. Of the few talking points that emerged after the deliberations, one is quite interesting — there is confusion over exactly how much stubble-burning in the neighbouring states contributes to pollution in the NCR. While the Delhi government blames the Diwali fireworks and stubble-burning for the steep rise in pollution, the Central Government has said stubble-burning contributes only 10 per cent to Delhi’s pollution. However, the Commission for Air Quality Management blamed farm fires for “35-40 per cent of total current pollution in the NCR”.

What is the actual math of AQI? We need to find the real causes for a real solution. For that, the Central and the state governments of the region must work in unison, enabling and empowering public institutions and local communities. Irrespective of the contested numbers, stubble-burning remains a significant contributor to pollution, not only in the NCR but also in the industrial cities and towns of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, making lives of residents difficult. The governments involved must spare no cost to root out the problem, for the cost to the citizen’s health and the public health infrastructure is incalculable in comparison.

Equipment such as a Straw Management System must be made available to the farmers across the region to deal with the residue from the previous crop. Farmers, in turn, could join hands to buy machinery, aided by government subsidy. Residue decomposing material should be tested and put to use. A stick and carrot policy would wean farmers away from cultivating paddy, which leaves a large quantity of residue behind. All these steps have been discussed before and they need to become part of all-year policy — and not to be reiterated every winter, when the smog is upon us. It is governments and government institutions that must ensure clean air for citizens to breathe in, without being nudged by the Supreme Court.