Haryana geared up to handle stubble burning: CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 23

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said the state was fully geared up to handle the issue of agricultural crop residue burning and air pollution ahead of the winter season.

Editorial: Raising the air bar: Incentivise farmers to shun stubble burning

He was speaking at a meeting chaired by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to discuss the implementation of the action plan to improve the air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) ahead of the winter season, when incidents of stubble burning increase, leading to air pollution.

The meeting, which was held through video conferencing, was attended by ministers and senior officials of various departments from Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Yadav said the Haryana Government’s decision to use the bio-decomposer technology on one lakh acres was certainly a pivotal step for managing stubble burning. He also appreciated the work done by the state government for switching industries to CNG and PNG.

The Chief Minister urged the Union Government to re-open Formaldehyde industries in Yamunanagar. He asked the minister to expedite the work of laying CNG and PNG pipelines in the state as the non-availability of these pipelines would force many industries to shut down.

Khattar said the total area under paddy in Haryana is 34.10 lakh acres (57 per cent Basmati and 43 per cent non-Basmati). The area has been reduced up to 10.7 per cent in comparison to the previous year with the efforts of the state.

Calls for expediting pipeline-laying

The CM also asked the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to expedite the work of laying CNG and PNG pipelines in the state as the non-availability of these pipelines would force many industries to shut down.