Stubble burning: NGT pulls up Punjab for active fire despite orders

“It is a total failure of Punjab government. Entire administration is at work and still you have failed,” the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday pulled up the Punjab government over pollution and rising cases of stubble burning. The green tribunal expressed its dissatisfaction with the steps being taken by the Punjab government for not keeping a check on stubble burning.The NGT criticised the state government for failing to comply with the Supreme Court order to put an immediate ban on stubble burning.The NGT said. “Around 600 incidents of stubble burning were reported when the matter was taken up and now it’s 33,000 despite the fact that NGT and the Supreme Court are considering the matter. And you are saying you are making efforts.”
The NGT also called out the Punjab government for “selective treatment in prosecuting violators” as the Punjab counsel said it filed an FIR only against 829 for burning crops on a single day out of 1,500.“That’s almost one-fourth of a one-day incident. Why not the same action being taken against everyone,” the National Green Tribunal told Punjab counsel.  Major contribution is by your state,it added.Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.