Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding mitigation of air pollution caused on account of crop burning, 15/11/2018
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Ganga Lalwani Vs Union of India & Others With News item published in “Indian Express” Authored by Mallica Joshi Titled “All fiddle as crop stubble burns, farmers say solutions out of reach” dated 15/11/2018 regarding mitigation of air pollution caused on account of crop burning in the States of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
The Court has been informed that State Level Monitoring Committee has been constituted to prevent crop residue burning in Haryana. On behalf of the State of Uttar Pradesh, it is stated that as a result of Sustained Awareness Generation Programme, number of fire incidents has come down. Crop burning residue will be used in a commercially viable manner such as permitting vermin-composting, requiring brick kiln/furnaces/boilers to use 20% of bio-briquettes on the basis of availability. In-situ and Ex-situ strategies will be used. Insitu strategy will be to convert crop residue into manure and exsitu management will be setting up industrial units to convert crop residue and other biomass into bio-fuel/bio briquettes. The Court has been informed that the Secretary, Agriculture holds video conference meetings weekly with the Principal Secretaries of the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and with the District Collectors/District Magistrates of the Districts where the issue is relevant. National Green Tribunal directs the Ministry of Agriculture to continue to monitor the steps and furnish a status report to the Tribunal.