Agri waste: NGT directs Centre to finalise national policy

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre to finalise the national policy for controlling and preventing pollution resulting from burning of agricultural waste in open fields.
A bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to state what directions it proposes to issue for effective implementation of the national policy.
The tribunal has listed the matter for hearing on November 10.
"Let the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Additional Secretary, MoEF and the Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board now finalise a national policy and place the copy thereof before the Tribunal.
"MoEF shall also clearly state before the Tribunal as to what directions it proposes to issue in the interest of the environment and for effective implementation of the said national policy," the bench said.

The tribunal's direction came after the counsel for MoEF submitted, before the bench, the minutes of the meeting held on September 18 for finalising draft guidelines on the issue.

Earlier, the tribunal had directed the Agriculture Ministry to hold a meeting of all the states and prepare "composite" guidelines for preventing the pollution caused by straw burning, which allegedly is one of the reasons for the smog in Delhi.
NGT was hearing a plea by environmentalist Vikrant Tongad seeking a ban on burning of agricultural waste/remnants in open fields.
Tongad has alleged that burning of agricultural residue, like straw, in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh caused air pollution not only in these states but is also a major cause of smog in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

In his plea, Tongad has sought directions to authorities concerned as well as the states to take steps to stop practise of burning of agricultural residue or bio-mass.