As pollution levels rise and the Air Quality Index (AQI) plunges into the 'severe' category, Delhi and NCR regional governments have taken a strict stance against rule violators, imposing substantial penalties. Haryana government officials reported issuing 939 challans and imposing fines exceeding ₹25.12 lakh, while Noida recorded 39 GRAP III violations, leading to penalties totaling ₹24.30 lakh, including against real estate developers.
"The state government remains dedicated to completely eliminating the crop residue burning incidents, even as it has achieved 38% reduction in stubble burning incidents during the current harvesting season over the previous year," said the Haryana government officials on Friday (November 3). "The state government is taking stringent action against those responsible for the farm fires, having imposed 939 challans with fines totalling over ₹25.12 lakh by October 31," they added.
Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said the state government is vigilant about the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the state and has implemented stringent measures to further reduce paddy straw burning.
Some places in Haryana have reported air quality indices in the ’poor’ and ’very poor’ categories during the past few days.
During a virtual review meeting presided over by M M Kutty, the Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR, Haryana reported a significant decrease in stubble burning incidents. Last year, the state recorded a staggering 2,083 cases of stubble burning, which has now decreased to 1,296 cases in 2023, reflecting a substantial 57% reduction, as compared to 2021.
Raghavendra Rao, Chairman of the Haryana Pollution Control Board, directed deputy commissioners to closely monitor mining and excavation activities and ensure no waste is burned in the open. He also emphasised the importance of road maintenance and the effective implementation of government-enforced measures to combat stubble burning.
Meanwhile, the Noida authority issued 26 challans as part of its strict enforcement of GRAP guidelines, while an additional 13 cases were recorded by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (Noida office). The air quality index (AQI) in Noida was classified as "severe" and recorded at 428 at 4 pm on the same day.
The Noida authority, in a statement, disclosed that it levied penalties of ₹13.80 lakh on 26 entities found violating GRAP rules. To ensure compliance, the authority maintains a vigilant stance, with 14 teams conducting daily inspections of construction sites, roads, and open spaces.
Furthermore, the UP Control Board imposed fines totaling ₹10.50 lakh on 13 entities. Among these penalties was a significant ₹5 lakh fine imposed on a real estate developer, as confirmed by UPPCB's Regional Officer, Utsav Sharma.
Amid escalating pollution concerns, the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association (NOFAA) has urged the implementation of an odd-even scheme for vehicles, echoing measures taken in Delhi to combat the menace. NOFAA's President, Rajiva Singh, emphasised the need to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads by 50% through an odd-even vehicle plan for the next two to three months.
NOFAA also highlighted issues related to dust on roads and the significant contribution of construction and demolition (C&D) waste to deteriorating air quality in Noida. Singh stressed the urgency of making all footpaths and roads entirely dust-free, advocating for mechanical sweeping and water spraying. Additionally, he called for heavy penalties and stringent monitoring of construction sites to address the major concerns posed by C&D waste.
On November 2, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital and NCR region as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed the 400-mark, entering the 'severe' category.
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