Delhi pollution: Smoke intrusion from farm fires in Oct-Nov lowest in four years, says CSE
New Delhi, (PTI): Not only have the number of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana this season been the lowest since 2016, the national capital also witnessed the least smoke intrusion from stubble burning during October-November in four years, according to a Centre for Science and Environment analysis.
Analysis of data from SAFAR, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecasting agency, shows that smoke from farm fires contributed to PM2.5 pollution in Delhi on 53 days this year, starting October 12.
The figure is lower than the previous three years when smoke intrusion was reported on 56-57 days but higher than the 2018 reading of 48 days.
The highest contribution this year was 34 per cent on November 3. Last year, the share of farm fires in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution peaked to 48 per cent on November 7.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said stubble burning-related smokefall over Delhi depended on two major factors -- the number and intensity of farm fires and meteorological conditions conducive for the transportation of the smoke to the national capital.
This October-November, not only have the quantity and intensity of farm fires been comparatively lower but also the meteorological conditions less conducive for transport of the smoke, the green think tank said.
The CSE estimated that smoke from farm fires accounted for 4.1 tonnes of PM2.5 during October-November in Delhi. This is 37 per cent lower than 6.4 tonnes of PM2.5 from stubble burning last year and almost half the 2020 figure (8 tonnes).
The volume this year is also significantly lower than the 2019 figure (6.4 tonnes) -- an indicator of the meteorological help Delhi got as there were fewer farm fires in 2019.
According to the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Punjab, which accounts for the maximum cases of stubble burning every year, reported just 49,922 farm fires this season (September 15 to November 30) against 71,304 last year and 83,002 in 2020.
The agrarian state logged 50,738 incidents of stubble burning in 2019; 59,684 in 2018; 67,079 in 2017 and 1,02,379 in 2016.
Haryana logged 3,661 farm fires this season against 6,987 in 2021 and 4,202 in 2020. The neighbouring state saw 6,364 incidents of stubble burning in 2019; 9,225 in 2018; 13,085 in 2017 and 15,686 in 2016.
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Will form committee to look into Waqf properties issue: CM Siddaramaiah
Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he is ready to form a committee headed by a retired judge to look into the Waqf properties issue.
The chief minister also assured the Karnataka Assembly that the government will not remove those temples which are built on Waqf properties. In case notices have been served to them, then they will be withdrawn, he said.
Replying to the question raised by the opposition BJP on the Waqf land issue in the ongoing Assembly session on Thursday, the chief minister said, "Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has given a detailed reply to the charges of the opposition party.
"If they are not content with our reply, the government is ready to form a committee headed by a retired judge," the chief minister told the house.
He also made it clear that the matter is not a prestige issue.
Siddaramaiah said the central government had enacted the Wakf Act in 1954, which the state government cannot amend.
"The BJP-led government was in power in the state from 2008 to 2013 and from 2019 to 2023. The BJP has been in power at the Centre since 2014. Then, without thinking about amending the Wakf Act, they are now raising a controversy,” he alleged.
Siddaramaiah said the BJP, in its election manifesto, had said that it would discuss with Muslim religious leaders and clear and protect the encroached Waqf properties.
The government has clearly answered all the questions of the opposition. This should remove the confusion among the people, he added.
Siddaramaiah also assured the House that the government will not touch Waqf lands sanctioned under the Inam Cancellation and Land Reforms Act.
According to him, of the total 1.28 lakh acres of Waqf property, 47,263 acres are under the Inam Cancellation and 23,623 acres under the Land Reforms Act, and 3,000 acres have been used for public purposes. About 17,969 acres of Waqf land has been encroached on by private individuals.
"There is a Supreme Court order to protect these. Once it is registered as a Waqf property, it will always be a Waqf property," he said.
During a discussion on the issue of the Waqf Board issuing eviction notices to farmers, temples and many other individuals, the chief minister said, "If temples have been built on Waqf properties then we will not remove them. I am making it very clear. In case any notice has been issued, they (notices) will be withdrawn."
As the raging Waqf issue echoed in the Assembly with the BJP raising it, Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan clarified that if notices were given to farmers and temples then they would be withdrawn.
The chief minister too reiterated Khan's statement and said no farmer will be evicted from the land they have been tilling.
BJP legislator Araga Jnanendra demanded that the properties mentioned in the government records as those of Waqf should also be removed as the mere cancelling of notices will not serve the purpose.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka justified the demand by saying that 110 Kuruba families in the Krishna Raja constituency in Siddaramaiah's home district of Mysuru had been running from pillar to post to get the notices revoked.
They have submitted several memoranda to Siddaramaiah, but to no avail, he said, adding there were hundreds of such instances where people were facing hardships due to such notices.
Khan reminded the BJP that in its manifesto in 2014, there was a promise to remove encroachment on Waqf properties.
The chief minister underlined the need to save the Waqf properties, saying there were 1.10 lakh acres of such properties in the state which has now been reduced to just 20,000 acres due to various provisions of law such as the Inam Abolition Act as well as encroachment.
Jnanendra said, "We (BJP) too support saving the Waqf properties but our point is why notices were given now."
Siddaramaiah said the situation was such that there was a need to save the properties and notices were given as there is a central law for it.
The clarification was necessary now because he explained that a march was taken out from Bidar by the Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal from Bidar.
"There is a political split in the BJP but I won't discuss your internal matter," Siddaramaiah quipped.
He referred to the differences between Yatnal and BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra. As a show of strength, Yatnal decided to take out a march from Bidar to Chamarajanagar with the support of 12 senior BJP leaders including MP and MLAs.
He accused the BJP of politicising the issue. He reminded that despite the attempt to communalise the atmosphere in the state, the BJP lost the recent bypolls in all three assembly segments, Channapatna, Sandur and Shiggaon.
Not satisfied by the explanation given by the Congress government, the BJP legislators staged a walkout from the assembly.
