• Source:PTI
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To keep a check on stubble burning in the state, the Haryana government has issued 939 challans and imposed fines of over Rs 25.12 lakh against the offenders, news agency PTI reported citing officials. 

According to the officials, the incidents of stubble burning had decreased by 38 per cent this harvesting season compared to last year. However, stubble burning continues to be a common practice in Punjab and Haryana. 

This comes as some parts of the state recorded air quality in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories during the past few days. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal emphasised that the state government has taken strict measures to further reduce paddy straw burning and is constantly monitoring the state's Air Quality Index (AQI).

During the virtual meeting, the chief secretary said that a total of 2,083 cases of stubble burning were reported last year which decreased to 1,296 cases in 2023. He mentioned that straw-burning incidents witnessed a reduction of 57 per cent this year as compared to 2021. 

Sanjeev Kaushal also said that real-time monitoring of paddy straw burning incidents is being conducted by the Haryana Space Applications Centre. The government has also deployed squads and district/block-level enforcement teams.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi deteriorated to the ‘severe plus’ category on Friday morning. The AQI rose from 351 at 10 am on Thursday to 475 at 12 noon on Friday, as reported by news agency PTI. 

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the BJP is blaming Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the poor air quality in Delhi, but he is not responsible for the poor air quality in adjoining Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. He also said that the situation remains the same across north India. 

(With Agency Inputs)