MOGA: Chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to constitute special cells to monitor air pollution levels on a daily basis, including holidays, for the next one month. It has also asked to finalise a monitoring mechanism by coming October 7 to check paddy straw burning.
The NGT panel, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, passed the order on a plea filed by Ganga Lalwani for remedial action to prevent burning of crop residue that leads to air pollution in the NCR region.
After studying the statistical report placed before it, the panel noted that 25 per cent to 30 per cent pollution in the NCR was caused by burning of crop residue in and around Delhi in months of October and November every year.
The NGT panel has also directed the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, and secretaries (Agriculture) of the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to appear before the panel with the status report on the next date of hearing — October 15, this year.