Air quality panel deploys flying squads in Punjab, Haryana to curb stubble-burning   

The Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Tuesday that it had deployed flying squads in 16 districts of Punjab and 10 districts of Haryana to curb stubble-burning during the ongoing paddy harvesting season.

It said a 'Paddy Stubble Management Cell' would soon be set up at Mohali/Chandigarh to enhance coordination during this critical period.

The move comes just days after the Supreme Court raised concerns about the effectiveness of CAQM's interventions in combating pollution.

The state governments of Punjab and Haryana have formulated comprehensive action plans to eliminate paddy stubble-burning during the 2024 kharif season, the CAQM said in a statement.

To strengthen monitoring efforts, flying squads from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have been deployed in identified hotspot districts across both states for the next two months, it said.

"These flying squads will work in close coordination with district-level authorities and nodal officers appointed by the respective state governments," the CAQM said.

The 16 districts in Punjab where flying squads have been deployed are Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar, Patiala, Sangrur and Tarn Taran.

In Haryana, the 10 districts are Ambala, Fatehabad, Hisar, Jind, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Sonepat and Yamunanagar.

These squads will assess the situation on the ground and report daily to the Commission and CPCB, detailing the measures taken to prevent stubble-burning in their respective districts, it said.