‘Crop residue burning not behind Delhi mess’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 18

Dr SS Marwaha, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board PPCB, on Friday said there was no correlation between pollution and stubble burning in the state.

He was addressing a gathering at Bhavan SL Public School during a special workshop held to make the city plastic free by distributing jute bags. He said, “It is only due to some farmers that only 10 per cent of stubble burning contributes to Delhi’s pollution. We have different teams working to stop stubble burning. The team is educating masses and farmers in villages about the ill-effects of stubble burning.”

“Things have improved over the years. The state is not adding to the pollution of the national capital. The air is normally directed towards Rajasthan from our side. There has been no complaint. Farmers are being educated,” he added.

The board is also distributing jute bags in 3,500 homes and around 550 shops will be given compost bags after collection of plastic bags.

DC Shivdular Singh Dhillon added, “The principals can only inform students about the ill-effects of plastic. The students must inform parents and relatives about the same.”

Many school principals from private and government schools attended the event. Meanwhile, a rally was taken out by students of 125 schools to generate awareness on the ill-effects of stubble burning as part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sikh Guru Nanak.