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Need to educate farmers to avoid stubble burning: NGT chairman

By, Patiala
Jul 30, 2022 01:29 AM IST

The NGT chairman said that the tribunal will ask the governments to implement the laws as paddy stubble burning is a major issue

: Ahead of the paddy harvest season, National Green Tribunal Chairman Justice Adarsh Kumar Goyal on Friday stressed on the need to educate farmers to avoid stubble burning, saying that it is the responsibility of the governments along with other stakeholders to avoid damage to the environment.

Need to educate farmers to avoid stubble burning: NGT chairman (HT File)
Need to educate farmers to avoid stubble burning: NGT chairman (HT File)

“Education, awareness, providing technical solutions to farmers only will help to resolve this sensitive issue, which is affecting environment,” the NGT chairman said, reacting to Punjab government’s proposal to compensate farmers for not burning straw.

Goyal, who was here to attend the annual conference organised by district administration and Punjab Pollution Control Board regarding the implementation of the district environmental plan, said that the NGT will ask the governments to implement the laws as paddy straw burning is a major issue.

“It is the responsibility of governments to provide a clean environment for the good life of the people,” he said.

He said that a polluted environment and impure natural resources have become a big challenge, and to deal with it, steps needed to be taken to save the environment at war footing level.

Emphasising the need for strictness and strong will towards environmental protection, Goyal said no single party can do the work of environmental protection, so governments, social workers and citizens will have to make joint efforts and that

lack of resources and technology is not a problem.

Reacting to the 100 crore fine imposed on the Ludhiana Municipal Coporation, Goyal said that NGT took this stringent action as the MC had failed to adhere to the guidelines for handling solid waste and sewerage water. The deadline for the solid waste was for April 2021, while it was March 31, 2018 for the sewerage treatment plant set by the apex court.

“They didn’t follow the direction of the apex court, thus we had no other option except to calculate the damage they have done to the environment. This 100 crore fine will remain with the Punjab government and will be used to undo the damage done to environment”, he added.

Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that the government is taking the directions given by the NGT seriously and is committed to fulfilling its responsibility towards environmental protection.

MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said that the NGT should amend the rules regarding STPs because the water is getting polluted to a great extent.

He said that there is a need to held the officials accountable for wrong actions which have resulted in environmental degradation. ENDS

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