Following Diwali celebrations, AQI of Punjab has come under 'very poor' category in many cities including Chandigarh, Mandi Gobindgarh and Amritsar. These cities are experiencing hazardous pollution levels. The degraded Air Quality Index has left residents struggling with severe health problems like breathing issues, eye irritation, and more. AQI of Amritsar and Ludhiana was recorded over 200 post Diwali.
Stubble burning is considered as the major cause of air pollution in Punjab, but it is not the only reason. When it is practiced in the month of April, it slightly affects the AQI level whereas during winters, it has a greater impact on the pollution levels of the state.
Talking to Truescoop news, Umendra Dutt, a natural farming and environment proponent social worker said, “Not only Amritsar but the whole Punjab is facing air pollution issues. Amritsar has become this polluted because of confluence of rivers and the climate of the region. Industries are also one of the major contributors to the increasing air pollution. Mandi Gobindgarh is one of the most polluted cities of Punjab because of the industries present there. Stubble burning is not the only reason, but there are other factors that are equally contributing to the pollution levels of Punjab. Construction work is also one of them.”
He highlighted four factors that affect the AQI of the state. The factors include industry waste, construction work, vehicles and stubble burning.
He stated that stubble burning is not the only reason of pollution and said, “Stubble burning is done in the whole country. In fact, it is practiced more in Uttar Pradesh as compared to Punjab but just because UP has a large area, the intensity of stubble burning is not that high whereas Punjab is a small state in terms of area because of which stubble burning immensely affects the state. Haryana has more AQI than Punjab. However, stubble burning is not the only reason but deforestation, climate change and soil erosion has a major role in worsening the AQI.”
“When stubble burning is done in the month of April it does not impact the AQI much because of the warm wind whereas in winters the stubble burning affects the AQI and leads to the production of smog,” he further added.
He talked about the problems faced by the farmers and said, “Farmers alone can’t be blamed for the increasing pollution levels. The farming model should be changed as it does not comply with the environment policies. Only wheat and paddy are being cropped by the farmers. This is promoting monoculture because of which stubble burning is getting excessively practiced.”
He provided few solutions and said, “Governmnet should focus on the industries as they are the larger contributors and trees should be planted. Farming model should be changed and this should be discussed with the farmers. It is also a matter of their mental health.”
Agriculture expert Umendra Dutt is a natural farming and environment proponent social worker. He is the member of General Body of Indian Council for Agriculture Research. He has over 40 years of experience in spearheading ecological and agricultural movements in Punjab. He is the executive director of Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM).