India said Tuesday, Oct 22, at least 16 farmers in the northern state of Haryana had been arrested for illegally burning paddy stubble. This practice contributes to severe air pollution in the region around New Delhi at the onset of winter.
It is as if the capital of India, New Delhi, wages war against pollution when the winters set in.
The chill results in entrapped smoke in the air, vehicle emissions, and construction dust, most of which comes from the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana.
The Swiss group IQAir has rated Delhi as the world’s most polluted capital for four years. To address the issue, the national capital has shut its schools and construction projects for many brief periods.
News agency Reuters reports Haryana’s Kaithal police saying 22 complaints of stubble burning have been made so far, and 16 farmers were caught.
However, the arrested persons have been granted bail as the offense is bailable,” said Birbhan, deputy superintendent of police.
Investigations have been initiated against almost 100 farmers in Haryana, and more than 300 have been penalized. Delhi’s air quality on Tuesday morning was “very poor,” according to CPCB records, with an AQI of 320. According to the live ranking on the IQAir website, it was the second-most polluted city in the world on Tuesday.
