Samajho's Android app | Samajho's IOS app | Youtube Channel | Telegram Channel | Instagram Channel
A WINDOW FOR INTER-STATE COLLABORATION, TO BREATHE EASY
What the article is about?
- Talks about addressing the air pollution issue through inter-state collaboration between Delhi and Punjab/
Syllabus: GS-II Inter-State Relations; GS-III Air pollution, stubble burning
Stubble burning and air pollution:
- According to a recent study, Delhi’s meteorology and the quantity of chaff (crop residue or stubble) burnt in Punjab and Haryana play a more important role in worsening air quality than the time chosen by farmers to start stubble burning.
- While Delhi dominates the discourse on air pollution in India, Punjab is home to nine of the 132 most polluted cities in the country identified by the Central Pollution Control Board.
- In 2019, Delhi and Punjab together faced economic losses estimated to be approximately ₹18,000 crore due to worsening air pollution.
- Therefore, by collaborating for clean air, both States can ensure improvements in citizen well-being and labour productivity.
Way Ahead:
- How can the two States collaborate?
- Setting aside their disagreements on the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s air pollution, the States should arrive at a common understanding of sources polluting the region. This would result in solutions that are amenable to both governments.
- Second, create platforms for knowledge exchange.
- A common knowledge centre should be set up to facilitate cross-learning on possible solutions to developmental challenges in both States.
- Third, collaborate to execute proven solutions.
- The two States could co-design solutions that would improve air quality.
- They could jointly institutionalise a task force comprising experts from State-run institutions to pilot these solutions and assess their impact.
- Fourth, create a market for diversified crop products.
- Shifting away from the ‘paddy-wheat cycle’ through crop diversification is a sure shot solution to stubble burning.
- Finally, both State governments should assert the need for extending inter-State cooperation to other States in the Indo-Gangetic plains in different inter-State forums.
- One such forum is the Northern Zonal Council; Both Delhi and Punjab must use this platform to highlight the need for coordination with neighbouring States to alleviate the pollution crisis.
