E-Paper
Gahlot asks Centre to provide access to pollution monitoring data
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
As the air quality gradually plummeted in Delhi, environment minister Kailash Gahlot on Tuesday wrote to union minister of earth sciences Harsh Vardhan, requesting the Centre to share pollution monitoring data so that the city can ascertain causes of bad air quality and devise ways to combat it more efficiently.
In the letter, Gahlot asked for access to the union ministry’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data. He pointed out how stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana affected Delhi’s air quality in October and November.
“SAFAR had stated that farm fires contributed just 2% to Delhi’s overall PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter that is released by combustion, including vehicular emissions and garbage burning) concentration and it has been indicated that it is likely to increase to 6% by October 15,” the letter read.
Gahlot added, “I understand that your ministry (central government) is equally concerned with the pollution levels in Delhi. Both the governments (Delhi and Centre) can work together to reduce pollution levels in Delhi.”
On Tuesday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the governments of UP, Haryana and Punjab to make daily reports on air pollution caused by crop residue burning. The green court ordered the state governments to sensitise farmers on the effects of such mass burning in the winter season.
The NGT expressed concern over harvesting equipment, which can be an effective alternative to burning stubble, not reaching farmers.
“The fact remains that there is an adverse impact of burning of such residue on air quality causing air pollution-related diseases, which at times may be fatal,” the bench said.
The bench added, “Every year in October and November, the problem of air pollution is acute in and around Delhi, threatening the health of people, especially infants and senior citizens.”
It said 25% to 30% air pollution in Delhi-NCR is caused by stubble burning in October and November every year.
