Image Credits: NDTV
On Thursday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) convened a high-level review meeting via video conference with Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua and state government representatives to discuss the state’s ongoing stubble burning and rising air pollution.
According to an official statement, the NHRC has expressed grave concern over cases of stubble burning in North India, particularly in Punjab, as the air quality has become “severe” in many cities, endangering public health and having a particularly negative impact on people who already have medical conditions.
The commission recommended severely reducing the number of stubble burning incidents. It stated that Punjab would face severe punishment if the situation did not improve.
The Chief Secretary provided the Commission with cases involving the management of stubble in Punjab, and the Commission also requested certain data in this regard.
The Chief Secretary stated that farmers are being urged and informed not to burn stubble, and that the entire state apparatus is working to limit the incidence of stubble burning this year under the direction of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
According to the Chief Secretary, a meeting with all Deputy Commissioners and higher officials of Punjab is held every week to discuss stubble management in order to take practical steps to prevent stubble burning.
According to the Chief Secretary, officials have been paying more attention to hotspots in the areas where farm fires have been reported in the past few years.
In addition to this, a senior IAS officer has been assigned to each of the state’s 23 districts, and they have been told to work at the local level to carefully monitor the management of stubble and prevent stubble burning incidents, according to the Chief Secretary.
For the sake of the future health of children and youth, the Chief Secretary pleaded with the farmers to not burn stubble under any circumstances and to work with the government to manage it.