Top human rights body summons officials from Delhi, 3 states over air pollution

The air pollution in Delhi-NCR continued to worsen amid unfavourable meteorological conditions and rising farm fire incidents despite curbs implemented under Stage III of Graded Response Action Plan.

Dissatisfied by the steps taken to control the air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the chief secretaries of the national capital and three adjoining states to remain present on November 10 for a detailed discussion on the issue. The officials have also been asked to inform the commission about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop the burning of stubble in their regions.

New Delhi: A worker carrying LPG cylinders on a bicycle crosses a road, shrouded in a thick layer of smog, in New Delhi, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. (PTI)

“The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India, not satisfied with the various actions taken so far to address the issue of air pollution in Delhi NCR, has asked the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to be present before it either personally or on hybrid mode on 10th November, 2022 for a detailed discussion in this regard,” NHRC said in a release.

“The Chief Secretaries of these States are expected to inform the Commission within a week positively before this discussion about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop the burning of stubble in their regions," he added.

The commission has asked the officials to include in their reports the effect of anti-smog guns and the effect of the scheme of in-situ management of crop residue.

The commission was of the view that much more needed to be done to control the air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

"It has been further observed that with the winter approaching, the NHRC, being the premier human rights body of the country, cannot remain a mute spectator of the situation affecting the human rights of the common citizens. It is of the considered view that notwithstanding several directions of the Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal and other authorities, the air quality in Delhi- NCR has not seen required improvement for a human-friendly environment, which cannot be allowed to remain so perpetually," the release said.

The air pollution in the national capital region continued to worsen amid unfavourable meteorological conditions with slower wind speed and rising farm fire incidents. Delhi reeled under 'severe plus' air quality with Air Quality Index (AQI) at 472, while the AQI in Noida stood at 562, and in Gurugram (Haryana) at 539.

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann said multiple factors are behind the air pollution and appealed to the central government to pitch in to fix the problem affecting people across north India. While the AAP leaders took responsibility for stubble burning in Punja, they said that the Mann-led government got only six months to fix the issue this year.

“The air pollution has turned severe in Delhi. People are finding difficult to breath. It is not a Delhi specific problem but of the entire northern India. Only Delhi and Punjab governments are not responsible for it. Several local and regional factors are also behind the problem, because air is not confined to one state,” Kejriwal said.