Issue of Winter Pollution in North India
North India, especially the Indo-Gangetic plains, experiences a significant increase in pollution levels during winter.
Officials from states like Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh recently met to address air quality concerns in Delhi.
Causes and Solutions
Major Causes
Pollution from vehicles contributes significantly to air quality degradation.
Dust from roads and construction sites adds to the pollution load.
Poor handling of solid waste also contributes to emissions.
Stubble Burning: The burning of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana accounts for about 40% of winter pollutants
Punjab is expected to produce over 19 million tonnes of paddy straw, while Haryana will generate around 8 million tonnes.
Solutions
Both Punjab and Haryana have pledged to stop paddy stubble burning.
Creating financial incentives and penalties to discourage straw burning.
Crop Residue Management: Punjab plans to manage 11.5 million tonnes in-field, while Haryana aims for 3.3 million tonnes.
Using 2 million tonnes of paddy straw in thermal power plants as a carbon source.
Challenges
Farmers often lack access to necessary machinery for managing straw.
There is no efficient system to transport straw from fields to power plants.
States and the central government must work together, setting aside political differences to effectively tackle the pollution crisis.
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