Union Minister of State for Environment Kirtivardhan Singh on Monday said air pollution in Delhi-NCR is a collective result of multiple factors.

He said this in a written reply in Lok Sabha in response to a question on increasing pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

“Air pollution in Delhi – NCR is a collective result of multiple factors, including high level of anthropogenic activities in the high-density populated areas in NCR, arising from various sectors viz vehicular pollution, industrial pollution, dust from construction and demolition project activities, road and open areas dust, biomass burning, municipal solid waste burning, fires in landfills, air pollution from dispersed sources, etc,” said Singh.

The Minister said, “During winter months, lower temperature, lower mixing heights, inversion conditions and calm winds lead to trapping of the pollutants in the atmosphere resulting in high pollution in the region. Therefore, deterioration of the Air Quality Index (AQI) is observed in Delhi-NCR region, generally, during the winter.”

Singh said to address the deterioration of air quality, actions under ‘Graded Response Action Plan’ (GRAP) are also imposed based on AQI.

Besides, statutory directions have been issued to the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi on 12th April for implementation and review of the updated/revised plan of action for prevention and control of stubble burning in 2024, he said.

The Minister also informed that the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in 2018 launched a scheme for providing subsidy for purchase of crop residue management machinery and establishment of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) in NCT of Delhi and the States of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

He said during 2018- 2024, total funds released to Delhi and other states under the said scheme is Rs 3,398.56 crore using which, over 2.7 lakh crop residue machineries have been delivered to individual farmers and CHCs, and over 39,000 CHCs have been established.

The Minister further said, “The Government from time to time has taken up the issue of firecracker bursting with the concerned NCR state governments and GNCTD and asked to take adequate measures to ensure strict compliances of restrictions/ ban orders passed by the Supreme Court/ NGT and State/ UT Governments, as the case may be, in this regard.”