In a significant move to curb air pollution in the Delhi NCR region, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has announced new regulations for farmers aimed at reducing stubble burning.

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The government issued guidelines on November 6, 2024, are part of the CAQM in NCR & Adjoining Areas (Imposition, Collection, and Utilization of Environmental Compensation for Stubble Burning) Amendment Rules, 2024, and will impose hefty fines on farmers involved in the practice, depending on the size of their landholdings.

What are the penalties for stubble burning?

  • Farmers with less than 2 acres of land will face a fine of Rs 5,000 for each incident of stubble burning.
  • Farmers with land holdings between 2 and 5 acres will be penalised Rs 10,000 per incident.
  • Farmers with land larger than 5 acres will incur a fine of Rs 30,000 for each instance of stubble burning.

These penalties are part of the government's ongoing efforts to tackle the serious air pollution crisis in Delhi NCR, particularly during the winter months when stubble burning exacerbates air quality issues.

The air quality in the Delhi-NCR region remained 'poor' today, approaching 'severe' levels in several areas with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital recorded at 362.

Across the city, the 400 AQI mark was exceeded, which falls under the 'severe' category.

Here are the AQI levels of different areas and localities in Delhi:

  • Anand Vihar: 422
  • Jahangirpuri: 431
  • Wazirpur: 428
  • Ashok Vihar: 416
  • Rohini: 403