Tag: Stubble burning

I Left Delhi To Save My Family From Chronic Pollution

‘I Left Delhi To Protect My Family From Chronic Pollution Sickness’

By LokMarg

Nida Fatima Siddiqui, a media professional, made the tough decision to leave Delhi’s smog behind, seeking cleaner air and a healthier future for her family. She shares her story:

Delhi is in the news again for pollution, and as a former resident of Delhi-NCR, I feel quite relieved that I no longer live there. My husband, daughter and I decided to move to Bangalore in October 2022, and pollution was a major factor in our decision, though there were other considerations too.

Personally, I suffered a lot during the smog months from October to January. While I thankfully don’t have any health or lung issues, I coughed throughout these months every year. Leaving Delhi-NCR was bittersweet because my parents still live there, and for four years, I stayed in the same housing society as them. It was a tough decision. 

Before 2022, I had lived in Delhi for 18 years, and pollution was never a significant issue until 2014. I remember traveling across the city without ever experiencing any respiratory problems. But from 2015 onwards, it became a persistent issue. In late 2016, my office shift in Noida ended around 6.30 pm and I used to travel during peak rush hour in October. That was the first time that I developed bronchitis, which lingered for a month. The cough returned every year after that, in the same month. My daughter was born in February, and in the months leading up to her birth, I had a chronic cough—it was a difficult time.

I realised that it was more than just pollution from cars or construction in Delhi-NCR—the smog crisis was also caused by stubble-burning in neighbouring states. Farmers in Haryana and Punjab burn rice stubble in October because, under a law to conserve water in these states, the crop cycle was shifted. After harvesting paddy, the farmers thus have little time to prepare their fields for the next crop, wheat. With just about three weeks available, they resort to burning stubble to clean the fields fast.

ALSO READ: ‘I’m A Pollution Refugee, Forced To Migrate From Delhi’

I do not see this issue getting resolved anytime soon, even if all the three governments came together to address it. The problem is worsened by traffic pollution, construction activities, weather/wind pattern and firecrackers—the last of these fuel the crisis but only for a short while. It’s the larger issue of multiple factors causing the persistent smog. Moreover, Delhi’s weather is either too hot or too humid, barring the short winter. The autumn months, when you want to enjoy the outdoors, are plagued by pollution, which keeps you inside. That leaves only February and March as months when it’s comfortable to step outside. Being an outdoorsy person, I found myself confined to the house either with an air conditioner or an air purifier.

In 2022, we decided we didn’t want our child to grow up facing the same trauma. I also believe our move was well-timed. It’s easier to relocate when you’re younger and have a small family. It’s sad, though, to leave behind a place you once called home for something as man-made as pollution. Some might say that Bangalore has its own share of problems, like traffic and pollution, but compared to Delhi, it’s much better. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is far superior, and most of the year, Bangalore stays in the green zone. In fact, I haven’t coughed in the past two years, which reassures me that our decision to move was the right one. 

I am also trying to persuade my parents to leave Delhi-NCR and move south, given their age and the escalating pollution crisis. I don’t mean to be blunt for those still living there, including my parents, but I don’t see this pollution issue being resolved anytime soon. It’s going to take a coordinated effort from the governments involved, and that doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.

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As told to Mamta Sharma

I Wish To Visit Delhi For Diwali But Fear Of Smog Holds Me Back

‘I So Wish To Visit Delhi For Diwali, But Fear Of Smog Hangs Heavy’

By LokMarg

Tripti Sharma feels torn between her desire to be home for Diwali and being exposed to the polluting haze that engulfs Delhi every festive season. Her story:

As I sit in Indianapolis, thinking about the approaching Diwali, my heart aches with a familiar pull. Every year, this festival is supposed to be a time for joy, family, and celebration. It’s the one time I wish to fly back to India, leave behind the business of life here in the US, and immerse myself in the warmth of home. But this year, that excitement is overshadowed by a growing sense of fear—the fear of breathing the air that’s slowly suffocating my hometown.

I keep reading the news about how bad the air quality is going to be around Diwali, with stubble burning already in full swing in Punjab and Haryana. Delhi, where my family lives, is predicted to be blanketed in smog. The idea of walking through the streets, the smell of crackers mixed with the smoky haze, doesn’t fill me with nostalgia anymore; it fills me with dread. What’s worse is that I don’t just worry for myself, I am concerned about my ageing parents, my little nieces and nephews. The idea of exposing them to this level of pollution weighs heavy on my mind.

It’s strange. Here in Indianapolis, as fall turns to winter, I look outside at the crisp, cold air and think about how different things are in North India. I should be packing my bags, thinking about all the sweets I’ll eat, the diyas we’ll light together, but instead, I’m glued to the air quality index, checking it like some sort of doomsday countdown.

ALSO READ: ‘I Celebrate My Diwali With A Nebulizer And Meds’

A part of me feels so torn. I’ve lived in the US long enough to get used to clean air and clear skies. Breathing is something I don’t have to think about here. But going back to India, to Delhi especially, around Diwali? It’s like walking into a cloud of invisible danger. The smog settles into every corner of the city, thick and suffocating. You can’t escape it, even indoors. Air purifiers can only do so much.

I feel this gnawing guilt too. Diwali is about family. My parents miss me, and I miss them. My mother’s been sending pictures of the preparations—the rangoli they’ve made, the sweets they’re preparing, her hopeful messages saying, “It’s not that bad this year.” But I know she’s just trying to reassure me, and it breaks my heart. She doesn’t want me to worry, but how can I not?

The worst part is how helpless it all feels. Stubble burning is something that happens every year, and every year, we all watch as the pollution levels spike, and people start choking on the air. It’s not like this is a new problem, but it feels like nothing ever changes. I feel angry and frustrated, knowing this could be fixed if only there were stricter regulations or better solutions for farmers. But instead, it’s the people, my family, who pay the price.

I want to go home. I want to light diyas with my family, laugh over old memories, and feel the magic of Diwali like I did when I was a kid. But now, it feels like a choice between celebrating and protecting my health. I never thought something as basic as the air we breathe would make me reconsider going home.

For now, I’m stuck in this painful limbo. Should I go and risk it? Should I stay here, safe but homesick? Every year, the decision gets harder. Diwali is supposed to be about light and hope, but right now, all I feel is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over everything.

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

As told to Deepti Sharma

stubble burning in punjab

CAQM Reviews Implementation Of Directions To Restrict Stubble-Burning In Punjab

By LokMarg

Reviewing the status of implementation of measures directed to restrict stubble burning in Punjab, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) held a meeting with the Chief Secretary and Deputy Commissioners of 22 districts of Punjab except Pathankot (no farm fire incidents reported).

The primary focus of the review meeting was to assess the on-ground implementation of directions and reiterate the need for immediate intensification of actions to put a halt to the sudden spike in stubble-burning cases seen in the last few days in Punjab.
The Chief Secretary and Deputy Commissioners of the 22 districts of Punjab were reminded of their earlier commitments of drastically bringing the farm fire counts in 2022 as compared to last year.

The Deputy Commissioners of 10 districts namely Amritsar, Barnala, Bhatinda, Firozpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Tarn Taran, and Patiala where more than 1,000 fire counts are reported, were specifically advised to pay special attention and focus on the implementation of the action plan.

During the review meeting, the Chief Secretary and Deputy Commissioners of the 22 districts of Punjab assured that they will put their best foot forward to substantially bring down the rising farm fire incidents in Punjab.

They also assured that a decline in stubble-burning incidents is expected to be seen in the coming days.

Stubble burning continued unabated in Punjab with the state reporting nearly 24,000 such cases so far, an official said on Friday.

The incidents of stubble burning have seen a rise in parts of Punjab this year in comparison to last year. However, the area of fields burnt has witnessed a drop of 1 percent so far.

Speaking to ANI over the phone, Senior Environmental Engineer of Punjab Pollution Control Board, Gurbakhshish Singh Gill said that 1,144 incidents of stubble burning have taken place in the state till Thursday and 24,146 such incidents in Punjab.

“We are working in coordination with the government. Efforts are on. Farmers are being sensitised. Our teams are monitoring the situation. We are hopeful of the situation being in our control this time,” he said earlier on Thursday.

He attributed various factors to the deterioration in the Air Quality Index (AQI).

“There are various factors responsible for the deteriorating AQI. Stubble burning is one of them, other is Diwali, transportation and other atmospheric conditions,” he said.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, Showkat Ahmad Parray said, “Nearly 1,200 incidents have been reported till now. Last year, it was nearly 900 which has increased this time. But the data that comes to us is not right in itself because there is some period during which the satellite does not capture the incidents. So if there is stubble burning taking place during that period, such incidents are not reported to us,” he said.

Pollution has risen in Delhi where the AQI remained in the ‘severe’ category for the second consecutive day. Stubble burning has contributed to 34 percent of Delhi’s PM 2.5 pollution.

On Friday morning the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city jumped to 472. Noida, which is part of the national capital region, recorded an AQI of 562, and continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category, while Gurugram’s AQI stood at 539 and continued to remain in the ‘severe’, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.

Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is moderate, from 200 to 300 it is poor, and from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor and from 400 to 500 or above it is considered as severe. (ANI)

Read More: http://13.232.95.176/

Stubble burning Punjab incident

Punjab: Uptick In Stubble-Burning Incidents; 24,000 Reported So Far

By LokMarg

Stubble burning continued unabated in Punjab with the state reporting nearly 24,000 such cases so far, an official said on Friday.

The incidents of stubble burning have seen a rise in parts of Punjab this year in comparison to last year. However, the area of fields burnt has witnessed a drop of 1 percent so far.
Speaking to ANI over the phone, Senior Environmental Engineer of Punjab Pollution Control Board, Gurbakhshish Singh Gill said that 1,144 incidents of stubble burning have taken place in the state till Thursday and 24,146 such incidents in Punjab.

“We are working in coordination with the government. Efforts are on. Farmers are being sensitised. Our teams are monitoring the situation. We are hopeful of the situation is in our control this time,” he said earlier on Thursday.

He attributed various factors to the deterioration in the Air Quality Index (AQI).

“There are various factors responsible for the deteriorating AQI. Stubble burning is one of them, other is Diwali, transportation, and other atmospheric conditions,” he said.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, Showkat Ahmad Parray said,

“Nearly 1,200 incidents have been reported till now. Last year, it was nearly 900 which has increased this time. But the data that comes to us is not right in itself because there is some period during which the satellite does not capture the incidents. So if there is stubble burning taking place during that period, such incidents are not reported to us,” he said.

He said that a better way to evaluate the stubble burning is to check the area burnt, adding that the number of incidents is “not a right criterion”.

“A better way to evaluate is to see how much area is burnt. We get a separate report of the area burnt. We study it. We do not consider the number of incidents much important. The number of incidents is not the right criterion, so we focus on the area. Last year, nearly 4.5 percent of the area was burnt till this time, this year it is 3.5 percent. Last year, a total of nearly 50 to 55 percent of the area was burnt, we expect a fall of at least 10 percent in it,” he added.

Pollution has risen in Delhi where the AQI remained in the ‘severe’ category for the second consecutive day. Stubble burning has contributed to 34 percent of Delhi’s PM 2.5 pollution.

On Friday morning the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city jumped to 472. Noida, which is part of the national capital region, recorded an AQI of 562, and continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category, while Gurugram’s AQI stood at 539 and continued to remain in the ‘severe’, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.

Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is moderate, from 200 to 300 it is poor, and from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor and from 400 to 500 or above it is considered as severe. (ANI)

Read More: http://13.232.95.176/

‘I Am A Pollution Refugee, Forced To Migrate From Delhi’

By LokMarg

A Delhi citizen all her life, Priyanka Gera was forced to leave a well-settled living due to worsening air quality in the city. Gera says she has lost hope of seeing any improvement

I grew up in Delhi. I was a pure Delhiite until the birth of my daughter when I could no longer ignore the air pollution in Delhi. My husband was perpetually anxious about her wellbeing. We bought an AQI monitor and put air purifiers at every room in our house.

During winters we didn’t send her to pre-school on most of the days because the AQI used to be severe. We would escape to a hill station around Diwali. Then came a point when we no longer wanted to adjust our lifestyle according to pollution levels.

We started wearing N95 masks in 2018-19 while venturing out. Now masks are mandatory due to the pandemic and I find it funny that people still won’t wear masks despite the Covid guidelines, leave alone the poor air quality.

As the situation got worse by each passing year, in 2019, we took the tough call to leave our families, social circle and well-set careers and move to Bangalore for the sake of a better environment. Most people can’t do that or won’t do that – leave their well settled lives because of a danger that they don’t think is clear and present. So, they tell themselves various things to live with it, most vague of these reasoning is that somehow, you’ll develop strength or a kind of immunity in your body to adapt to pollution as if it were some ordinary flu germs. Yes, it’s true, I have heard this from so many people in Delhi!

ALSO READ: ‘NCR Air Is Worse Than Smoke From A Coal Mine’

Having lived in Bangalore for two years have done just the opposite. Now, every time we come to Delhi to visit our families, we get unwell. I wake up coughing every single day. No, it’s not Covid-19, it’s another lung killer that we choose to ignore – pollution!

I don’t know why most people are not anxious about the pollution affecting quality of their life. People like us are exceptions, who are willing to uproot themselves because we’ve lost hope that it can ever improve here.

Surely the government and agencies have been aware of the potential crisis since decades, that’s why CNG was introduced and Metro was planned. All industries have been sent out of Delhi. The problem is not just Delhi, it’s very much there in the neighbouring states too.

Government action is but all ‘reaction’ – nothing much is being done proactively. It takes the Supreme Court to give ultimatums to Delhi Government to take steps, now construction has been halted, schools are shut etc.

Pollution Levels Rise in NCR-Delhi

Watch – ‘Zero Concern For Air Quality At Ground Level’

By LokMarg

As pollution levels rise in NCR-Delhi, doctors warn the spread of Covid-19 may worsen. LokMarg speaks to environmentalist Sanjeev Lakda and several residents about the rise and air pollution level, its reasons and harmful impact in pandemic times.

There is unanimity that ‘Unlock’ has spelled doom for the Capital region’s environment. With the return of industrial, vehicular and stubble-burning activities, Delhi residents are now plagued with a double-whammy of bad air and virus.

Watch the video here: