PMO asks Punjab, Haryana to keep stubble management pledge

The Prime Minister's Office on Monday directed Punjab, Haryana and UP to keep stubble management promises besides the ones they made in the air quality management plans as the winter approaches.

Commission for Air Quality Management chairman Rakesh Verma, who attended a high-level review by the PMO of the stubble-burning challenge on Monday, presented details on the upcoming paddy straw generation saying Punjab is estimating 19.52 million tonnes of paddy straw generation this season and Haryana 8.1 million tonnes.

"Both states are committed to eliminating stubble-burning this year. Punjab plans to manage 11.5 million tonnes of its paddy straw through in-situ crop residue management and the rest via ex-situ methods. Haryana will similarly manage 3.3 million tonnes in-situ and use ex-situ methods for the remainder. Over 1.5 lakh crop residue management (CRM) machines will be available in Punjab, supported by 24,736 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), while Haryana has 90,945 CRM machines supported by 6,794 CHCs," Verma said.

Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra asked the states to keep their promise.

Additionally, 2 million tonnes of paddy straw will be co-fired in 11 thermal power plants across the NCR region, said Verma.

The meeting stressed the need for regular monitoring of thermal plants to ensure co-firing targets are met, with penalties for non-compliance.