‘Lack of Political Will to Solve Stubble Burning Issue’: Delhi CM

“There should be sharp timelines to move away from stubble burning to check air pollution in Delhi-NCR,” he said.

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Amid rising concerns over the air pollution situation in Delhi and neighbouring areas, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, 19 October, said the problem of stubble burning can be solved in one year, but there is a lack of political will for it.

"All governments should come together and launch a joint war against air pollution. If all governments and all parties come together, leaving politics aside, we can control pollution in less than four years time," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI during a media briefing.

The CM called for Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to hold meetings with the chief ministers of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab every month till the problems due to stubble burning are solved.

"There should be sharp timelines to move away from stubble burning to check air pollution in Delhi-NCR," he added.

The CM’s remarks comes as the practice of stubble burning is once again underway in neighbouring states such as Punjab and Haryana.

Every year, the air quality in the national capital drops to worrying levels during the onset of winter. Among the factors held responsible for Delhi's poor air quality are unfavourable weather conditions, stubble burning in neighbouring states, along with pollution from factories and vehicles. The odd-even scheme of vehicle rationing has been implemented in the capital various times to curb the pollution levels.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)