Haryana to bring down fire counts substantially as per the Haryana State Action Plan submitted to CAQM

Source: The post is based on the article “Haryana to bring down fire counts substantially as per the Haryana State Action Plan submitted to CAQM”  published in PIB on 23rd September 2023

What is the News?

Commission for Air Quality Management, (CAQM) has directed the State Government concerned to ensure effective, intensified and strict enforcement of the District Plans and State Action Plan with special focus on hotspot districts to eliminate stubble burning in the States.

What is the Commission for Air Quality Management(CAQM)?

CAQM has been set up under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act,2021.

The Commission has been setup for better coordination, research, identification, and resolution of problems related to air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas.  

Adjoining areas have been defined as areas in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, adjoining the National Capital Territory of Delhi and NCR, where any source of pollution may cause adverse impact on air quality in the NCR.  

The act also dissolved the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority established in the NCR in 1998. 

Composition: The Commission will consist of: (i) a Chairperson, (ii) an officer of the rank of a Joint Secretary as the member-secretary and Chief Coordinating Officer, (iii) a serving or former Joint Secretary from the central government, (iii) three independent technical members with expertise in air pollution, and (iv) three members from non-government organizations.  

– The Chairperson and members of the Commission will have a tenure of three years or till the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier.  

Functions of the Commission:  Functions of the Commission include: (i) coordinating actions by concerned state governments (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh), (ii) planning and executing plans to prevent and control air pollution in NCR, (iii) providing a framework for identifying air pollutants, (iv) conducting research and development through networking with technical institutions, (v) training and creating a special workforce to deal with issues related to air pollution, and (vi) preparing action plans such as increasing plantation and addressing stubble burning.

Powers of the Commission:  Powers of the Commission include: (i) restricting activities influencing air quality, (ii) investigating and conducting research related to environmental pollution impacting air quality, (iii) preparing codes and guidelines to prevent and control air pollution, and (iv) issuing directions on matters including inspections, or regulation which will be binding on the concerned person or authority.  

– The Commission will be the sole authority with jurisdiction over matters defined in the Act such as air quality management).In case of conflicts, directions of the Commission will prevail over the orders of the respective state governments, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), state PCBs, and state-level statutory bodies.

Penalties: Contravention of provisions of the Act or orders and directions of the Commission will be punishable with imprisonment of up to five years, or fine of up to one crore rupees, or both.  The act excludes farmers from the scope of these penalties. 

– However, the Commission may collect environmental compensation from farmers causing pollution by stubble burning.  This compensation will be prescribed by the central government.  

– Appeals against the Commission’s orders will lie with the National Green Tribunal.