According to a report submitted by the Haryana government to NGT last month, out of the 133 units operating in Mahendergarh, 49 were found to be violating the provisions of a 2016 notification on stone crushers as well as those of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
The Tribunal has also asked for an action taken report from the Punjab PCB and the Commission for Air Quality Management by the next date of hearing, which is November 8, along with directing the Punjab PCB to prepare and place on record an area-wise crop residue management plan.
The green panel also took on record a report by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas which tabulated the actual count of incidents of stubble burning in 2022 and the targets for reducing them during the current year.
While the AQI in Delhi on Saturday was 248, in the ‘poor’ category, the forecast indicates that it is likely to dip and enter the ‘very poor’ category on October 23 and 24, “owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions,” according to the CAQM.