- 9 minutes ago
Post Diwali, North India faced increased air pollution, multiple fire occurrences, and ongoing fuel quality checks focusing on ethanol blending levels.
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00:26But our top focus tonight,
00:28and we are calling it what it should be called,
00:30an air emergency.
00:32Delhi's pollution levels have once again spiked on Diwali Day,
00:36and today, a day after, they remain very severe.
00:40In fact, several parts of North India remain covered by a blanket of smog.
00:46Some of the worst, most polluted cities in the world at the moment,
00:50as we speak, are in the country.
00:54Remember, this on Diwali Day,
00:56when the nation should have celebrated with firecrackers,
00:59we've seen firecrackers go well beyond the Supreme Court directives,
01:05and we've seen a surge in stubble burning in farm fires in Punjab.
01:11The combination, the double whammy of these two factors,
01:14means that Delhi faced its most polluted Diwali Day in five years.
01:19The AQI on Diwali Day in 2023 was 218.
01:23In 2024, it went up to 328, went up to 345 last year.
01:29This year, it was 376.
01:31That's only the average, remember.
01:33The AQI for the day after Diwali, though,
01:36is 344, a slight improvement from 351 last year.
01:42Now, the main pollutant this season is particulate matter 2.5,
01:47which means particles that are 2.5 micrograms or less per cubic centimetre in terms of density.
01:53Now, our DIU team has prepared graphics that show that there is a sudden spike on Diwali Day,
02:01which you can see on the screen.
02:04In parts of the city, the AQI jumped to 500.
02:09In parts, it went up to 1000.
02:12And at this point, the AQI is 384,
02:16which, remember, is only an average at the moment
02:19and is still very much in the very severe category.
02:24And therefore, the fact is the AQI levels remain astronomically high in the national capital.
02:32375, frankly, is unacceptable.
02:35It puts Delhi in the very severe category.
02:39The day has also seen a sudden jump in the number of farm fires in Punjab.
02:46But I want to start today with Delhi.
02:49Because the fact is, while Delhi celebrated Diwali with crackers,
02:54the crackers violated all the Supreme Court guidelines.
02:58There was very little enforcement.
03:00And worse still, and which is really what should trouble us all,
03:04is that in many of the recording centres, the data went blank at midnight,
03:09even though these data centres were monitoring the rising pollution.
03:15All of this is leading to question marks over the quality of governance
03:19and whether the government was trying to hide the data from the public.
03:23Our correspondent, Shriya Chatterjee, spent the entire night
03:27tracking just how pollution on Diwali night has left a city choking.
03:33Take a look.
03:39Delhi celebrates Diwali
03:43with dhoom, dhamaka and lots of dhooma.
03:48Fireworks clouded the national capital sky on Sunday evening.
03:56Most air monitoring stations in Delhi hit a PM 2.5 reading of 500,
04:03the maximum on Central Pollution Control Board website.
04:08At ITO Live Streaming Board, the PM 2.5 numbers inched closer to 1,000.
04:17Just look at what this AQI monitoring station is clocking right now.
04:22This is Dwarka Sector 8.
04:24At PM 2.5 level, above 1,500, the PM 10 level, above 2,000,
04:31that is something which should scare all of us.
04:37On the ground, India Today Reality Check found serious gaps in pollution monitoring.
04:43Many of the stations did not record readings for several hours after midnight.
04:50We are now at Dwaraka, NSIT, the AQI monitoring station.
04:54We are standing there.
04:55And the board behind, basically,
04:58the data shows the data of the live monitoring.
05:01But now, it's 12 o'clock.
05:04It's the night of Diwali.
05:07And you can see that the monitoring station is not giving live updates.
05:12What is the monitoring of the AQI station?
05:20The rules were already set by the Supreme Court.
05:23Only green crack is allowed.
05:25That too, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
05:29But the two-hour window permitted was openly flouted.
05:35The pollution data shows Delhi's AQI on the day of Diwali
05:39was the worst in five years.
05:41The Supreme Court's decision to allow fireworks
05:45has reignited the debate on what takes precedence.
05:49Public health or religious festivals?
05:53With Sriya Chatterjee, Bureau Report, India Today.
06:03Complete lack of enforcement when it came to Supreme Court rules
06:08on firecracker burning.
06:10And worse still was Punjab,
06:14a state which had seen this year,
06:16at least in the early part of this harvesting season,
06:20a decline in stubble farm fires.
06:22But over the last week, they have been spiking.
06:24And yesterday, saw a crazy surge of farm fires,
06:29particularly in Tarantaran district.
06:31More than 1,200 farm fires in Punjab.
06:35Predictably, there's a blame game on.
06:38The BJP rule Delhi says,
06:40this is part of a giant conspiracy
06:42of the Aam Admi Party-led government in Punjab.
06:46The Aam Admi Party says,
06:48the BJP should be looking after Delhi better.
06:51But our ground report comes from Punjab,
06:54from Kamaljeet Sandhu.
06:55Take a look.
07:02A double whammy for Delhi.
07:06The day the national capital celebrated Diwali,
07:09with firecrackers,
07:10also saw a jump in number of farm fires in Punjab.
07:14The state saw a single-day jump
07:17of 1,152 farm fire incidents,
07:19taking the cumulative count,
07:21this year to 4,459.
07:23There are other states like Haryana,
07:26Uttar Pradesh, which surround Delhi
07:27and are closer in proximity,
07:30blaming these other states for stubble burning,
07:34saying Punjab is being unnecessarily being dragged.
07:38But when it comes to a number of cases,
07:41there seems to be an 80% drop
07:43as far as these cases are concerned.
07:46The Punjab police, however,
07:48claim there is a sharp reduction in farm fires this year.
08:06The sudden spike in stubble burning
08:08has sparked a blame game.
08:43Stubble burning in Punjab is seasonal.
08:46Farmers claim that they set fire
08:48to prepare their fields for the next sowing season
08:50within the small time frame they have.
08:52For those few weeks during autumn,
08:55farm fires become a major cause of air pollution
08:57in North Indian cities.
08:59While the number of farm fires
09:01have come down over the years,
09:02a lot more needs to be done
09:04to incentivise and compensate farmers
09:06to solve the problem altogether.
09:08With Kamal Jeet Kaur,
09:10Bureau Report, India Today.
09:14Okay, my first guest tonight
09:16is India's leading environmentalist.
09:19Sunita Narayan of the Center for Science
09:21and Environment joins me.
09:23Good to have you, Sunita, on this show.
09:26But it is the same story all over again,
09:28the day after Diwali.
09:30But I want some clarity.
09:33Do we blame this sudden surge
09:35of farm fires in Punjab
09:37for what has happened?
09:39Should we be blaming firecrackers
09:41taking place in complete defiance
09:43of Supreme Court orders?
09:44Or is it simply a double whammy
09:47that's going to hit not just Delhi,
09:49but across North India
09:50and several parts of the country
09:51that are seeing a pollution spike?
09:55Ashleigh, it's time we grew up
09:56and stopped asking even these questions.
09:59It's not about farm fire.
10:01It's not about Diwali.
10:02It's not about saying that,
10:06you know, it's one or the other.
10:08It's all of the above.
10:09And we know that.
10:11We know that every year.
10:12We know that this is a time
10:15when winter sets in.
10:17We have a lack of wind.
10:19Today, pollution levels are slightly lower,
10:21not because of anything government has done,
10:24not because farm fires have stopped,
10:26but because there was a little more wind
10:28and because there was some heat
10:31and so there was some dispersion.
10:33But we know this year,
10:35every three months,
10:37a season of despair is a combination.
10:40We have traffic on the road.
10:42We have farm fires that happen
10:45because farmers have a small window to operate.
10:48We have Diwali.
10:49We have winter.
10:50We have factories spewing out smoke.
10:55We have thermal power plants, everything.
10:58What we should be asking is,
11:01why are we not fixing it?
11:02Stop asking for the reason.
11:05Talk about what are we doing?
11:07And my question is,
11:09and my answer, frankly, to you is very simply,
11:13we're not doing enough.
11:15In fact, what governments are doing
11:16is to issue bans
11:18and think that the problem will go away.
11:21The Supreme Court, with all its wisdom,
11:25issues orders which cannot be enforced.
11:28And, of course, we as human beings,
11:30I mean, I'm living in a colony
11:32where I can still hear firecrackers today.
11:35So you have to ask,
11:37what is happening to the elite,
11:39the educated?
11:40Do we not care about the right to clean air?
11:43We are burning money every time
11:46we burn firecrackers.
11:47And we know that this is polluting
11:50our children's health.
11:51And yet we do it.
11:52And we will blame the farmers,
11:54and the farmers will blame us.
11:56And then we will blame the car owners.
11:58Let's get this real.
12:00It's all the above,
12:01and we all need to take action,
12:03and we all need to understand
12:05this is a health emergency.
12:11You know, it's interesting what you said
12:13that the middle class
12:16and the elite bursting crackers
12:17are blaming today the farmers
12:19for the surge in stubble burning.
12:21The farmers, in turn,
12:23will say that look at transport
12:24and look at city life
12:27and what it's doing to the air,
12:29not just during Diwali,
12:30but around the air.
12:31But let's today look for solutions.
12:34Where do we start?
12:36You see, the Punjab government
12:38says we've incentivized farmers
12:40to stop stubble burning.
12:42Clearly, that's not worked.
12:43Certainly not in the last week
12:45in particular,
12:46and the sudden surge
12:47that we've seen in the last 48 hours.
12:50The government of Delhi
12:51says we've introduced
12:52various grant measures
12:54to ensure that polluting cars,
12:57for example,
12:57can't enter the city.
12:58That's clearly not worked.
13:00So where do we start?
13:01Is part of the problem
13:02that we only wake up
13:04at this time of the year,
13:06that we need a year-long
13:09national solution
13:10to this air emergency?
13:12And if so,
13:13where do we start?
13:14Well, I think we start,
13:16firstly,
13:16by not falling into the trap
13:18of politicians.
13:20Let them do what they do.
13:22And that's fine.
13:23I cannot stop them.
13:24But I think my only request
13:26to all politicians is
13:28air pollution is very serious.
13:30cooperate and take action year-long.
13:34What we are doing today
13:35is not even a band-aid solution.
13:38It is not...
13:39It's a complete farce,
13:42if I may use a very polite word.
13:44We know that none of these bans
13:46can be enforced.
13:48We know we need to act.
13:50And they list...
13:51There's an action plan, Rajdeep.
13:53Don't ask me for what the solutions are.
13:55The government knows the solutions.
13:57We need to move very quickly
13:59towards a GST on gas,
14:02natural gas.
14:03We need to flood this region,
14:05as the Chinese did,
14:07in Beijing,
14:08so that you can get clean fuel.
14:10You can make sure
14:11that no dirty fuel is burnt
14:13in Delhi
14:14or in its surrounding areas.
14:16We need to make sure
14:18that we have
14:18a mobility transformation.
14:20And that is something...
14:22I know when I say that,
14:23you're going to say,
14:24oh, that'll never happen.
14:25Of course it'll happen.
14:26You can't wait every year in winter
14:29and talk about this.
14:30You have to get your act together.
14:31You did a very good policy
14:33on electric vehicles,
14:35but you didn't follow through on it
14:36to make sure
14:37that electric vehicles
14:39actually move towards...
14:41We have a complete shift
14:43in the vehicles in Delhi,
14:46whether it is buses
14:47or whether it is electric two-wheelers.
14:50Today, you have buses,
14:51your ridership is going down.
14:53You really need to get serious
14:55about this, Rajdeep.
14:56And my worry with this
14:58is that GRAP
14:59was supposed to be
15:00an emergency action
15:01brought in only
15:03when the pollution levels
15:04were very high.
15:05I was one of the architects of GRAP
15:07taking it to the Supreme Court.
15:09We did it only to create,
15:13as it is done
15:14in the rest of the world,
15:15an emergency action,
15:18inconvenience,
15:19so that you would actually
15:20act through the year
15:21so that you would not want
15:23to be inconvenienced
15:24at the next year.
15:25Now, it's become a fashion
15:27where the government announces
15:29a three-month shutdown
15:31of offices,
15:33three-month shutdown
15:34of construction,
15:36knowing that it cannot
15:38enforce this,
15:39knowing that it is not possible
15:41for people to shut down
15:43businesses for three months.
15:45that's not pollution control.
15:47Pollution control
15:48is getting serious
15:50about solutions
15:51and serious about enforcement.
15:54I'm not seeing any of it.
15:55Punjab,
15:56give me an,
15:56I'll give you a clear thing.
15:58Punjab has clear reasons
16:00why we are not moving on it.
16:02We needed to make sure
16:03there are bailing machines
16:04so that bailing happens,
16:06farmers are paid
16:08for the stubble,
16:09there is enough options
16:10for them
16:11to be able
16:12to move it
16:13towards
16:16bio-CNG plants,
16:18ethanol plants,
16:19but those plants
16:20are not getting
16:20the stubble
16:21because there is no
16:22government
16:23making sure
16:24that these things happen.
16:26It's not about
16:27optics anymore.
16:29In fact,
16:29if I may say
16:30very bluntly,
16:31the optics
16:32are staring us
16:34in the face
16:35and we cannot breathe.
16:37Get out of the optics
16:39and get real
16:40and get down to action.
16:47If you had a three-point agenda
16:49very quickly,
16:49what would it be?
16:51Because,
16:51you know,
16:52I want a clear
16:53three-point agenda
16:54because unfortunately,
16:55as you said,
16:56there is far too much
16:58optics,
16:59far little governance,
17:00zero enforcement.
17:01I mean,
17:02the Supreme Court
17:02also needs a wake-up call
17:04presumably.
17:04They talk of green crackers,
17:06crackers,
17:06only in an hour
17:07it doesn't happen.
17:08So I want you to tell me,
17:09if you were to tell
17:10the Supreme Court,
17:11the Delhi government,
17:12the Punjab government
17:12or any government
17:13in the country,
17:14give me three actionable points,
17:16eminently workable.
17:18So one is definitely
17:19clean combustion,
17:21which means
17:21bringing gas,
17:22as Beijing did.
17:24The hindrance there
17:25is the taxation
17:26and the very high rates
17:28where gas doesn't compete
17:29with coal
17:30and every other dirty fuel.
17:32Second is
17:33clean electrification,
17:34which means
17:35public transport
17:37running on clean fuel,
17:39which can happen
17:40and happen at scale
17:42and not just in Delhi
17:43but in the whole region.
17:45And the third is
17:46as far as Punjab is concerned,
17:48the solutions are there.
17:49Make sure that the farmers
17:51get paid for the stubble
17:54and that means
17:55good systems
17:56to make sure
17:57that their bailing happens.
17:59It is possible, Rajdeep.
18:01But please,
18:02I think it's very important
18:04not just the Supreme Court,
18:05not just the governments,
18:07but also we.
18:08I think to some extent
18:10we have to also
18:10take responsibility.
18:12I mean,
18:13we have to also understand
18:14when we burst crackers,
18:16what it does.
18:17I mean,
18:18I was quite impressed
18:20at the Shankaracharya
18:23who actually said
18:24very clearly
18:25this pre-Diwali
18:27to the Hindu community,
18:30to people like me,
18:31saying that this is not
18:33about Hinduism
18:34to hurt another person
18:36and that pollution in the air
18:38is bad for us.
18:39And yet,
18:40when I live
18:41in my own colony,
18:42even today,
18:43I can hear the cracker.
18:44And yesterday,
18:45the crackers
18:46were going on
18:47and on and on
18:48to a scale
18:49and all night.
18:50So forget
18:50the Supreme Court order.
18:52I mean,
18:52I cannot even understand
18:53how the Honourable Judges
18:55give an order
18:55knowing that
18:56it can never be enforced.
18:58Okay?
18:58How the Delhi government
19:00gives orders
19:00of shutdown
19:01knowing that
19:02it can never be enforced.
19:03I think this is really
19:05where governance
19:05has to come back
19:06to bite us.
19:08And it is very important.
19:09I have a lot of respect
19:10for the Supreme Court.
19:11They are responsible
19:13for the clean air,
19:14the little clean air
19:15that we have,
19:15the good orders
19:16that we have.
19:17And I would only request them
19:19and the government
19:20of Delhi,
19:20Haryana,
19:21Punjab,
19:22and UP
19:22stop doing
19:24the blame game.
19:25Sit together
19:26and sort this out
19:27now for next winter.
19:29Not next winter
19:30for next winter.
19:36Okay.
19:36I'm going to leave it there.
19:37Strong words from you.
19:38And I hope that
19:39someone out there
19:40as always is listening,
19:41particularly those
19:43in power.
19:44Enforcement for God's sake
19:45is the key.
19:46I want to widen this.
19:48Who is accountable
19:49for this national air emergency?
19:52Accountability has to be fixed.
19:54Enough of the political
19:54blame game
19:55that we've seen.
19:56Stubble burning
19:57or Diwali crackers?
19:58What's the primary cause
19:59of this pollution crisis?
20:01Has the government
20:02failed to provide
20:03effective solutions?
20:04Can society escape blame
20:06for not doing enough?
20:07Those are some of the questions
20:08I want to raise.
20:09I want to widen this debate
20:11that we've set up.
20:12You can see those questions
20:13on your screen.
20:15Joining me now
20:16is Anmol Panwar.
20:18He's Aam Aadmi Party
20:19spokesperson.
20:19Remember,
20:20the AAP is in power
20:21in Punjab
20:21where we saw this spike
20:23in scumble fires.
20:24Dr. Anil Kumar Gupta,
20:25chief spokesperson
20:26of Delhi BJP.
20:28He's also a board member
20:29of the CPCB.
20:30That's the
20:31Pollution Control Board.
20:33Zerreen Osho
20:34is director
20:34India program,
20:35Institute for Governance
20:37and Sustainable Development
20:38and she's currently
20:39in Turkey for COP
20:41and Hiren Jethwa
20:42is senior research scientist
20:44at NASA.
20:45He's going to tell us
20:45what the satellite images
20:47are showing.
20:48I want my two experts
20:49just hold on for a minute
20:51because I want to ask
20:51the politician
20:52the accountability
20:53question at the end.
20:56Anmol Panwar,
20:57Aam Aadmi Party
20:58spokesperson,
20:59I heard your minister
21:01in Punjab saying
21:02there are no stubble fires.
21:03Please look at the TV screen
21:05that I'm going to put
21:05before you.
21:06There were more than
21:071,200 stubble fires
21:09just on one day
21:10yesterday in Punjab
21:11in districts like
21:12Tarantaran
21:13were worst affected.
21:14Are you telling me
21:15seriously
21:15that your minister
21:17is going to tell
21:18the country
21:18that there are no
21:19stubble fires in Punjab?
21:20He needs an eye checkup
21:23at the very outset, sir.
21:25Unacceptable.
21:26Why deny the problem?
21:33Rajdeep ji,
21:34what is unacceptable
21:35is that
21:36a BJP government
21:37at the centre
21:38for last 12 years
21:39having governments
21:40in more than
21:41am I audible,
21:42Rajdeep ji?
21:45Am I audible?
21:46Yes, yes,
21:46please go ahead.
21:49Yes, please go ahead, sir.
21:51Please answer my question.
21:52Rajdeep ji,
21:52what is unacceptable
21:57is that a government
21:58at the centre
21:59for last 12 years
22:00having government
22:01in more than 22 states
22:03and who said
22:04in their 2025
22:05Delhi elections manifesto
22:07that they'll not
22:08blame any government
22:09and they'll not
22:09make any excuses
22:10as far as
22:11pollution is concerned.
22:12Today,
22:13they are blaming
22:13farmers.
22:14Today,
22:14they are blaming
22:15Punjab.
22:16Today,
22:16they are blaming
22:16stubble burning.
22:17When their own
22:18central government
22:19agency,
22:19CPCB,
22:20when their own
22:21central government
22:22agency,
22:22CAQM
22:23and IARI
22:24Institute of
22:25Agriculture Research
22:26very categorically
22:27said
22:28and even
22:29their own
22:29minister
22:29at the floor
22:30of the parliament
22:30house said
22:31that stubble
22:32burning contributes
22:33only 4%.
22:34Having said that,
22:36you know very well
22:37that there's 93%
22:39reduction in stubble
22:40burning incidents
22:41in Punjab
22:42from 80,000
22:43in 2021
22:44to less than
22:455,000
22:46in 2026.
22:47yesterday?
22:47Then why did they
22:48spike yesterday,
22:49Mr.
22:49But still,
22:49they are blaming
22:50Punjab.
22:50Sir,
22:51they spiked
22:51yesterday.
22:52The Delhi
22:53government is,
22:53no,
22:54no,
22:54sir,
22:54you cannot
22:55escape,
22:55you cannot
22:56tell,
22:56they may have,
22:57there were signs
22:58that they were
22:59declining in the
22:59first few weeks,
23:00but there are
23:01those who are
23:02saying that the
23:02farmers were
23:03also burning
23:04them at a time
23:04when satellite
23:05images could not,
23:06could not catch
23:07them.
23:08More importantly,
23:09yesterday itself,
23:10there are more
23:10than 1200
23:11recorded instances
23:13in one day.
23:15how can you
23:16escape
23:17responsibility?
23:18Rajdeep
23:19Ji,
23:19Raj,
23:21Rajdeep
23:22Ji,
23:24this double
23:25engine government
23:25at the center
23:26filed an
23:27affidavit before
23:27the Honorable
23:28Supreme Court
23:29very categorically
23:30stating that
23:3196% of the
23:32sources of
23:33pollution in
23:33Delhi are
23:35from dust,
23:36vehicles,
23:37and industry.
23:38And the
23:39Honorable
23:39Supreme Court
23:40day before
23:40yesterday
23:41they wrap
23:41the central
23:42government.
23:43This right
23:44to breathe,
23:44this right
23:45to clean
23:45environment,
23:47pollution-free
23:47environment,
23:48it's our
23:48constitutional
23:49right,
23:50it's not a
23:50privilege,
23:51and this
23:52incompetent
23:53BJP government
23:54is responsible
23:55for turning
23:56Delhi into a
23:57guest chamber.
23:58AQI levels
23:59are in severe
23:59category.
24:00You tell me
24:01about Delhi,
24:01this is the
24:02problem.
24:02Yet instead
24:03of...
24:04I ask you
24:04about Punjab,
24:05you tell me
24:06about Delhi.
24:07That is not
24:07the way to
24:08answer.
24:08No,
24:09Mr.
24:09Panwar,
24:12today I
24:13am sick
24:14and tired
24:14of this
24:15political
24:15blame game.
24:16Except that
24:17you all have
24:18failed in
24:18governance,
24:20I mean there
24:20should be
24:20that minimum.
24:21Let me
24:21take...
24:22But I
24:22will take
24:22your point
24:23to the
24:23Delhi
24:23chief
24:24spokesperson
24:24of the
24:25Delhi
24:25BJP
24:25because
24:26Dr.
24:26Anil Kumar
24:26Gupta,
24:27look at
24:28the shocker
24:29in Delhi.
24:29You were
24:31supposed to
24:31enforce a
24:32Supreme Court
24:32order on
24:33crackers.
24:34Why did
24:34you not
24:34do it?
24:35Instead
24:36your local
24:37legislators
24:38are encouraging
24:39people to
24:39burst crackers.
24:40I mean
24:41what kind
24:41of governance
24:42are you
24:42offering
24:43Dr.
24:44Gupta?
24:44When
24:45Arm
24:45Army
24:45party
24:45was in
24:46power
24:46you
24:46would
24:46blame
24:47them.
24:47You
24:47even
24:48have
24:48shut
24:48down
24:48monitoring
24:49stations
24:49when the
24:50number was
24:51reaching
24:51thousand.
24:52Our
24:52reporter saw
24:53monitoring
24:53stations shut
24:54down at
24:55midnight so
24:55that you
24:56don't reveal
24:56the data
24:57to the
24:57public.
24:57What kind
24:58of governance
24:58Dr.
24:59Gupta
24:59are you
24:59offering
25:00in Delhi?
25:05Should I
25:05speak now
25:06sir?
25:08Should I
25:09speak now
25:09sir?
25:10Yeah
25:10please
25:10Dr.
25:11Gupta.
25:12Mr.
25:12Rajdeep
25:13should I
25:13speak now?
25:14Please
25:14please.
25:15Yeah.
25:17Please
25:18please
25:19speak.
25:19minutes to
25:19reply each
25:20and every
25:20point.
25:21Yeah.
25:23Sir I
25:23am speaking
25:24am I
25:24audible to
25:25you?
25:25Just
25:25confirm.
25:27Am I
25:28audible to
25:28you?
25:29Just
25:29confirm.
25:29Sir you
25:30are completely
25:31audible.
25:33Yes I
25:34am.
25:34You are
25:34audible sir.
25:35So just
25:36reply sir.
25:36I am
25:37sitting in
25:37a remote
25:37area.
25:39See Delhi
25:40has the
25:41largest
25:41number of
25:42monitoring
25:42stations in
25:43the country
25:4359.
25:45Under the
25:46KJRIWAL
25:46government
25:46there were
25:4739.
25:47we increased
25:49to 59.
25:51Shutting
25:51down of
25:521 or 2
25:52or 10
25:52doesn't make
25:53any difference
25:55in the
25:56average air
25:57quality index.
25:58The air
25:59quality
25:59monitoring
25:59stations are
26:00monitored all
26:01over the
26:01country by
26:02the centre
26:02pollution
26:03control
26:03board.
26:04The
26:04average of
26:05main pollutant
26:07is taken as
26:07the average
26:08air quality
26:09index.
26:10Which is a
26:11major pollutant
26:11yesterday and
26:12today it is
26:13particular
26:13matter 2.5.
26:15Now I
26:17give you the
26:17reason of
26:18why this
26:19spike has
26:20happened.
26:21The centre
26:22government has
26:22given 79
26:23crore last
26:24year to
26:24Punjab
26:25government
26:25under
26:26national
26:26clean air
26:27program.
26:28170
26:29crore for
26:29environmental
26:30problem.
26:30200 total
26:31250 crore
26:32for the
26:33stable
26:33management.
26:34And what
26:35the Punjab
26:35government
26:36did?
26:36They are
26:37not supplying
26:37the machines
26:38to the
26:38farmers.
26:39Why there
26:40was a
26:40sudden
26:41spike on
26:427th and
26:438th in
26:44the
26:44stable
26:44burning.
26:45Now I
26:46come to
26:46the
26:46question.
26:47What is
26:48the reason
26:48of
26:48particular
26:49matter
26:492.5?
26:50It is
26:50the
26:51tailpipe
26:51emission.
26:52It is
26:53the
26:53dust.
26:53It is
26:54the
26:55stable
26:56burning
26:56or
26:56parali
26:57burning
26:57and it
26:58is
26:58the
26:58weather.
26:59From
27:001st
27:00November
27:00we
27:01stopped
27:01all the
27:02non-BH6
27:03vehicles
27:03in the
27:03city.
27:05We
27:06have
27:06the
27:06largest
27:07number
27:07of
27:07electrical
27:08buses
27:08in
27:09Delhi
27:095500.
27:11The
27:11average
27:12ridership
27:12is 80
27:13lakhs.
27:14You
27:14can
27:14imagine
27:15that.
27:15And
27:16we
27:16are
27:16going
27:17to
27:17complete
27:18the
27:18entire
27:18fleet
27:19of
27:198000
27:20this
27:20year
27:21and
27:21next
27:21year
27:21of
27:22electric
27:22vehicles.
27:23But
27:23why
27:25this
27:25thing
27:25happens
27:26in
27:26the
27:26Punjab
27:26in
27:27spite
27:27of
27:27giving
27:28all
27:28the
27:28incentives
27:28in
27:29spite
27:29of
27:29giving
27:30all
27:30the
27:30machines
27:30why
27:31the
27:31Punjab
27:32government
27:32is
27:32not
27:33helping
27:33or
27:34subsidizing
27:36the
27:37you
27:38cannot
27:38blame
27:38Punjab
27:39alone.
27:40This
27:40is
27:41not
27:42just
27:44as
27:45the
27:45party
27:45has
27:46to
27:46take
27:46responsibility
27:47for
27:47Punjab.
27:48You
27:48cannot
27:48come
27:48on my
27:48show
27:49and
27:49say
27:49some
27:50air
27:50monitoring
27:50machine
27:51may
27:51not
27:51be
27:51working.
27:52So
27:52what
27:52the
27:53moment
27:53the
27:53numbers
27:54were
27:54climbing
27:55up
27:55suddenly
27:55the
27:56machines
27:56went
27:56dark.
27:57How
27:57can
27:57your
27:57legislators
27:58openly
27:59allow
27:59citizens
27:59to
28:00flout
28:00norms
28:00by
28:01encouraging
28:01them
28:02to
28:02burst
28:03crackers?
28:04The
28:05Supreme
28:05Court
28:05has
28:05said
28:06you
28:06are
28:06in
28:06violation
28:07you
28:07are
28:07in
28:07contempt
28:08of
28:08the
28:08Supreme
28:08Court
28:09Dr.
28:09Gupta.
28:14Should I
28:14speak
28:15now?
28:17Apart
28:17from
28:17the
28:18chief
28:18spokesman
28:18of the
28:19party
28:19I'm
28:20environmentalist
28:21also
28:21I'm
28:22a
28:22doctor
28:22in
28:22and
28:22out
28:23I
28:23know
28:24allow
28:24me
28:24to
28:24speak
28:25you
28:26allowed
28:26Sunita
28:26Narayan
28:27ji
28:27for
28:2710
28:28minutes
28:28you
28:28are
28:28not
28:29allowing
28:29me
28:29to
28:295
28:29minutes
28:29only
28:30I
28:31know
28:31what
28:31she
28:31did
28:31for
28:32Delhi
28:33she
28:33banned
28:34she
28:35the
28:35thermal
28:35plant
28:36still
28:36the
28:36situation
28:36there
28:37we
28:37are
28:37in
28:37the
28:38government
28:38in
28:38Delhi
28:38for
28:39one
28:39and
28:39a
28:39half
28:39years
28:40we
28:40got
28:41all
28:41this
28:41in
28:41legacy
28:41of
28:4226
28:42years
28:42and
28:43we
28:43are
28:43doing
28:43I
28:44said
28:44what
28:44measures
28:44we
28:45have
28:45taken
28:45in
28:45one
28:46and
28:46a
28:46half
28:46years
28:46I'm
28:46telling
28:47you
28:47what
28:47more
28:48measures
28:48we
28:48need
28:48to
28:48take
28:49that
28:49I'm
28:49also
28:49telling
28:50you
28:50Delhi
28:50has
28:50a
28:51population
28:51of
28:51three
28:51crores
28:52can
28:52you
28:53control
28:53each
28:53and
29:05three
29:05four
29:05days
29:06can
29:06you
29:06say
29:06we
29:07can
29:07control
29:07all
29:07the
29:08three
29:08crore
29:08population
29:08we
29:09have
29:0975
29:10lakh
29:11kitchen
29:11in
29:11Delhi
29:12which
29:13gives
29:13the
29:13home
29:14pollution
29:14and
29:15what
29:16to
29:16talk
29:16of
29:16the
29:16Punjab
29:17when I
29:17talk
29:17of
29:17Punjab
29:17you
29:18said
29:18you
29:18don't
29:18talk
29:18of
29:18the
29:18Punjab
29:19why
29:20there
29:20is
29:20sudden
29:21spike
29:21satellite
29:22images
29:22are
29:22showing
29:23and
29:23you
29:25are
29:26accountable
29:27for
29:27Delhi
29:28that's
29:28to
29:29be
29:29held
29:29accountable
29:29for
29:30Punjab
29:30that's
29:30all
29:30I
29:30said
29:35saying
29:35I
29:35am
29:35accountable
29:36Delhi
29:36I
29:36am
29:36admitting
29:37you
29:37but
29:37I
29:38am
29:38saying
29:38what
29:38measures
29:39I
29:39have
29:39taken
29:39in
29:39one
29:40and
29:40a
29:40half
29:40air
29:40that
29:40you
29:41need
29:41that
29:41the
29:41citizen
29:42of
29:42the
29:42country
29:42needs
29:42to
29:42know
29:43we
29:44have
29:44banned
29:44the
29:46all
29:47other
29:47known
29:47BS6
29:48vehicles
29:48in
29:49Delhi
29:49then
29:49there
29:50was
29:50a
29:50hue
29:50and
29:50cry
29:50why
29:51there
29:51is
29:51so
29:51much
29:52jam
29:53in
29:53the
29:53border
29:53areas
29:54then
29:54you
29:54say
29:55we
29:55have
29:55banned
29:55the
29:55concession
29:56for
29:56particular
29:57matter
29:5710
29:57we
29:58have
29:58banned
29:58so
30:00many
30:00things
30:00you
30:00know
30:00there
30:01is
30:01no
30:01concession
30:02in Delhi
30:02still
30:02because
30:03the
30:03weather
30:03there
30:04is
30:04no
30:04wind
30:04because
30:05of
30:05the
30:05moisture
30:05the
30:06particle
30:06gets
30:06suspended
30:19and
30:28yeah
30:28I
30:29have
30:29heard
30:29both
30:29of
30:30you
30:30patiently
30:30sir
30:30I
30:31have
30:31heard
30:31both
30:31of
30:32you
30:32patiently
30:32I
30:32want
30:32to
30:33get
30:33some
30:33experts
30:33in
30:34here
30:34in
30:34your
30:35senior
30:35research
30:36scientist
30:36at
30:36NASA
30:37you
30:38know
30:38when
30:38I'm
30:38looking
30:39at
30:39these
30:39numbers
30:40that
30:40are
30:40there
30:41some
30:41of
30:42the
30:42worst
30:42most
30:43polluted
30:43cities
30:4421
30:44of
30:4471
30:45cities
30:45had
30:46very
30:46poor
30:46or
30:47worse
30:47in
30:47terms
30:48of
30:48air
30:48quality
30:48in
30:49particularly
30:50North
30:50India
30:50very
30:50poor
30:51air
30:51you've
30:52been
30:52tracking
30:56the
30:57stubble
30:58fires
30:58in
30:59Punjab
30:59have
30:59been
31:00done
31:00this
31:00year
31:00in
31:00a
31:01manner
31:01to
31:01avoid
31:01some
31:02of
31:02the
31:02satellite
31:02images
31:03either
31:03at
31:031.30
31:04a.m.
31:04or
31:041.30
31:05p.m.
31:06are
31:06the
31:06two
31:06times
31:07when
31:07you
31:07measure
31:07the
31:08satellite
31:08this
31:08so
31:09therefore
31:10there
31:11is
31:11a
31:12darkness
31:12over
31:13Punjab
31:14and
31:14the
31:14reality
31:15is
31:15slowly
31:15sinking
31:16in
31:16that
31:16stubble
31:17fires
31:17continue
31:18unabated
31:21Thanks
31:21Rajdeep
31:22for calling
31:22me
31:23on
31:23this
31:23panel
31:24discussion
31:24I
31:24heard
31:25Sunita
31:25Narayan
31:25and
31:26now
31:27and
31:29now
31:29spokesperson
31:31and
31:31also
31:32spokesperson
31:32from
31:33BJP
31:36so
31:36let me
31:37start
31:37with
31:37the
31:39technicality
31:39of
31:39this
31:40stubble
31:41burning
31:41detection
31:41from
31:42the
31:42satellite
31:45and
31:45this
31:45is
31:45a
31:45very
31:46long
31:46standing
31:46first
31:47of
31:47all
31:47let
31:47me
31:47tell
31:48you
31:48this
31:48air
31:48pollution
31:48over
31:49northern
31:49India
31:49is
31:49a
31:49very
31:50long
31:50standing
31:51multifaceted
31:52problem
31:52and
31:53my
31:53part
31:54is
31:54to
31:54look
31:54at
31:54this
31:55stubble
31:55burning
31:56fires
31:56actually
31:56from
31:57space
31:57I
31:58still
31:58remember
31:59in
31:592016
32:00which
32:01is
32:0110
32:01years
32:01ago
32:01the
32:02Diwali
32:02and
32:03the
32:03peak
32:04burning
32:04time
32:04they
32:05overlap
32:05perfectly
32:06each other
32:06and that's
32:07what's
32:07happening
32:08today
32:08I mean
32:09yesterday
32:09right
32:10this year
32:11that
32:11the peak
32:12burning
32:12time
32:12in the
32:13Punjab
32:13and some
32:14part of
32:15Ariana
32:15too
32:15and the
32:16Diwali
32:17fireworks
32:17so
32:18what we
32:19are saying
32:19as you
32:19correctly
32:20said
32:20the
32:20double
32:20whammy
32:21thing
32:22right now
32:22going on
32:23in the
32:24Delhi
32:24and other
32:24parts
32:25in northern
32:25India
32:26and regarding
32:27satellite detection
32:28let me tell you
32:29some uncomfortable
32:30truth that
32:31Amadmi Party
32:32spokesperson may not
32:33agree with me
32:35nothing has changed
32:36in terms of the
32:37stable burning
32:38since our government
32:39took the charge
32:40in Punjab in
32:402022
32:42we have seen
32:43a systematic
32:44shift in the
32:45timing of the
32:46burning
32:46from about
32:471.30
32:48between 1 to 2
32:492 p.m.
32:49to now
32:504 and
32:505 p.m.
32:52so since
32:52last couple
32:53of years
32:53we are seeing
32:54this very
32:55prominent
32:57pattern
32:57in the
32:58fires
32:59from the
33:00geostationary
33:00satellite data
33:01and the
33:02satellite data
33:03that everyone
33:04is using
33:04including myself
33:06are from
33:07NASA and
33:08NOVA
33:08polar orbiting
33:09satellite
33:10products
33:10which are
33:11overpassing
33:12around
33:121.30
33:12p.m.
33:13so what
33:14these government
33:15numbers are
33:16telling us
33:16is a very
33:17small
33:17very small
33:18fraction
33:18maybe 10%
33:19or less
33:19than 10%
33:20of the
33:21totality
33:21of the
33:23fires
33:24in Punjab
33:25and other
33:25parts
33:26but if you
33:27look at
33:27the geostationary
33:28data
33:28which is
33:28giving us
33:29imagery
33:29every 15
33:30minutes
33:30every hour
33:32it clearly
33:32shows
33:33a very
33:34prominent
33:34spike
33:35in the
33:35fire signal
33:36at 4
33:37and 5
33:37and beyond
33:385 p.m.
33:40but there
33:40is also
33:40one interesting
33:41part
33:41and that's
33:42I think
33:43the most
33:43important
33:43thing
33:43that I
33:44would like
33:44to say
33:44here
33:45that the
33:45one
33:46NASA
33:46satellite
33:46which was
33:47overpassing
33:48at 1.30
33:48p.m.
33:49prior to
33:502023
33:51now that
33:52satellite
33:53is
33:53aqua
33:53basically
33:54it's an
33:54aqua
33:55satellite
33:55with a
33:56MODIS
33:56sensor on
33:56it
33:56it's in
33:57the free
33:58drifting
33:58orbit
33:58they are
33:59lowering
34:00the
34:00altitude
34:00of that
34:02satellite
34:02to preserve
34:03the fuel
34:04and because
34:04of that
34:05now that
34:05satellite
34:06is passing
34:06over Punjab
34:07over northern
34:08India
34:08around 4
34:08p.m.
34:10and that
34:10enables
34:11that satellite
34:11to see
34:12more and
34:12more fires
34:13at 1
34:14kilometer
34:14resolution
34:14and if
34:15we convert
34:16those numbers
34:17to high
34:17resolution
34:18fire
34:18empirically
34:19my numbers
34:20tell
34:21including
34:21my today
34:23morning's
34:23analysis
34:23including
34:24November 9th
34:25we have
34:25seen about
34:2634,000 fires
34:27I'm again
34:28repeating
34:2834,000 fires
34:29so far
34:30in Punjab
34:31and Haryana
34:31mostly dominated
34:32by Punjab
34:33since the
34:34onset of the
34:35burning season
34:35on October 1st
34:37that's my
34:37reference
34:39so there
34:40is no
34:40decrease
34:40in the
34:40fires
34:41whatever
34:42you're
34:42saying
34:43you're
34:43saying
34:44the
34:44numbers
34:44you're
34:45saying
34:45the
34:45numbers
34:46are
34:46much
34:47more
34:47you're
34:48saying
34:48the
34:48numbers
34:49are
34:49much
34:49more
34:49and
34:50actually
34:50satellite
34:51imagery
34:51is not
34:52even able
34:52to capture
34:53the full
34:53extent
34:54of what
34:54is
34:55happening
34:55in Punjab
34:55Zerin
34:56Osho
34:56you've
34:57been
34:57listening
34:57patiently
34:58do you
34:59believe
34:59that this
34:59is
34:59the
35:00double
35:00whammy
35:00that
35:01because
35:01peak
35:02harvest
35:02season
35:03and
35:03Diwali
35:03have
35:03coincided
35:04it's
35:04created
35:05this
35:05chaos
35:06it's
35:07created
35:07this
35:07terrible
35:08darkness
35:09around
35:09us
35:09the
35:09smog
35:10around
35:10us
35:10or
35:11do you
35:11believe
35:11that we
35:12are
35:12just
35:12seeing
35:14this
35:14getting
35:14worse
35:15by the
35:15year
35:16simply
35:17because
35:17enforcement
35:18is just
35:19not
35:19there
35:22hi
35:23Rajdeep
35:23this is
35:24the
35:24second
35:24time
35:25you
35:25and
35:25I
35:25are
35:25talking
35:25about
35:26this
35:26particular
35:27issue
35:27last
35:27year
35:28we
35:28were
35:28speaking
35:28about
35:30seeding
35:30clouds
35:31to make
35:31sure
35:32that there
35:32was some
35:33sort of
35:33solution
35:33to this
35:34problem
35:34another
35:35year has
35:35passed
35:35this
35:36is
35:36another
35:36season
35:37another
35:37winter
35:37season
35:38and
35:38here
35:38we
35:38are
35:38talking
35:38about
35:39the
35:39same
35:39thing
35:39I
35:40think
35:40the
35:40point
35:40that
35:40you
35:41made
35:41about
35:41it
35:42being
35:42a
35:42double
35:42whammy
35:43and
35:44then
35:44it
35:44coming
35:44up
35:45in
35:46conjunction
35:47to
35:47enforcement
35:48is
35:48the
35:49correct
35:49answer
35:49you
35:50know
35:50when
35:50you
35:50do
35:50not
35:51have
35:51enforcement
35:52officers
35:53at
35:53the
35:53pollution
35:53control
35:54boards
35:54across
35:55the
35:55states
35:55in
35:56this
35:56particular
35:56IDP
35:57region
35:57the
35:58Punjab
35:58Haryana
35:59Delhi
35:59Uttar Pradesh
36:00belt
36:00there
36:01is
36:01no
36:01way
36:01that
36:02the
36:02government
36:02can
36:03get
36:03away
36:03in
36:04enforcing
36:05those
36:05targets
36:05even
36:06though
36:06whatever
36:07the
36:07targets
36:07may
36:07be
36:08but if
36:08there's
36:09no
36:09enforcement
36:09be it
36:10the
36:10Supreme
36:10Court
36:11be it
36:11the
36:11government
36:12be it
36:12the
36:12state
36:13pollution
36:13control
36:13board
36:14be it
36:14the
36:14CAQM
36:15it's
36:16all
36:16paper
36:16trail
36:17as
36:17Dr.
36:18Sunita
36:18Narayan
36:18pointed
36:19out
36:19we can
36:20come
36:20in
36:20different
36:21meetings
36:21and
36:21committees
36:22set
36:22different
36:23targets
36:23but those
36:24targets
36:24cannot
36:24be
36:25attained
36:25till
36:26there
36:26is
36:26some
36:26level
36:27of
36:27enforcement
36:27you know
36:28the
36:28speakers
36:29before me
36:29also
36:30said
36:30just
36:30as
36:30I
36:31did
36:31I'm
36:31in
36:32Turkey
36:32right
36:32now
36:33where
36:33the
36:33COP31
36:34meetings
36:34are
36:34occurring
36:35and I
36:36can
36:36tell
36:36you
36:36just
36:36before
36:37I
36:37took
36:37my
36:37flight
36:37here
36:38to
36:38Antalya
36:38all
36:39night
36:40there
36:40was
36:41bursting
36:41of
36:41fire
36:42crackers
36:42and
36:43this
36:43is
36:43despite
36:44the
36:44Supreme
36:44Court
36:44ruling
36:45and
36:45the
36:45same
36:45was
36:46true
36:46for
36:46last
36:46year
36:47this
36:47year
36:48I
36:48think
36:48the
36:49correlation
36:50and
36:51the
36:51juxtaposition
36:52of
36:52Punjab
36:53fires
36:53and
36:53finally
36:54you know
36:55mainstreaming
36:55of the
36:56news
36:56that
36:56Punjab
36:57farmers
36:58know
36:58exactly
36:58when
36:59the
36:59satellites
36:59are
37:00over
37:01their
37:01head
37:01has
37:02mainstreamed
37:03this
37:03year
37:03but
37:03this
37:03news
37:04is
37:04not
37:04new
37:04we
37:05were
37:06aware
37:06of
37:06this
37:06news
37:07last
37:07year
37:08as
37:08well
37:10last
37:11year
37:11and
37:12this
37:12year
37:12no
37:12matter
37:13which
37:13government
37:14be in
37:14power
37:14and
37:15I
37:15think
37:15to some
37:16extent
37:16there needs
37:18to be
37:18some
37:18recognition
37:19of the
37:19fact
37:20that
37:20if
37:21you're
37:21going
37:21to
37:21try
37:21and
37:22control
37:23air
37:23over
37:24the
37:24state
37:24of
37:24Delhi
37:25that's
37:26not
37:26something
37:26that
37:27atmosphere
37:27and
37:28air
37:28knows
37:29as
37:29such
37:29the
37:29atmosphere
37:30does
37:30not
37:30know
37:30state
37:31boundaries
37:31so
37:32no
37:32matter
37:33how
37:33many
37:33restrictions
37:34you
37:34put
37:34on
37:35the
37:35state
37:35of
37:35Delhi
37:36be it
37:36vehicular
37:37pollution
37:38control
37:38measures
37:40Haryana
37:41Uttar Pradesh
37:42and
37:42Punjab
37:43as well
37:43because
37:43wings go
37:44from west
37:45to east
37:45so
37:46to say
37:47that we
37:48are here
37:48and you
37:48know
37:49this is a
37:49double whammy
37:50and you
37:50know
37:50so and
37:51so excuse
37:51has come
37:52up
37:52absolutely
37:52not
37:52we were
37:53here
37:53last year
37:54as well
37:54and I
37:55am pretty
37:55sure
37:55we are
37:56going to
37:56be here
37:56next year
37:57as well
38:01no no
38:01but
38:02you see
38:03as you
38:03said
38:03there are
38:04several
38:04stakeholders
38:05here
38:05what do
38:06they need
38:06to do
38:06sit
38:06across
38:07a table
38:07and come
38:08up with
38:08an action
38:08plan
38:09how do
38:09you enforce
38:09it
38:10you see
38:10I hear
38:10government
38:11bureaucrats
38:11saying
38:12it's easy
38:12for you
38:12to sit
38:13in a
38:13studio
38:13how do
38:14you enforce
38:14it on
38:15the ground
38:16Delhi is a
38:16city of
38:16more than
38:1725 million
38:18people
38:18the NCR
38:19region
38:20how do I
38:20enforce
38:21that people
38:21don't burst
38:22crackers
38:22Punjab
38:23farmers
38:23have a
38:23very small
38:24window
38:24for their
38:25harvesting
38:26they are
38:26going to
38:26go ahead
38:27with
38:27stubble
38:27burning
38:27how do
38:28you actually
38:28enforce
38:29is there
38:29an example
38:31that can
38:31be followed
38:32to get
38:32all these
38:33chief ministers
38:33on one
38:34table
38:34and get
38:34it done
38:36absolutely
38:37and first
38:37and foremost
38:38before I
38:38answer that
38:39question I
38:39also want
38:40to highlight
38:40that I
38:40live across
38:41the Horskas
38:42police station
38:42in Delhi
38:43and to
38:45talk about
38:45you know
38:46we have
38:4625 million
38:47people or
38:4833 million
38:48people
38:49yes of course
38:49we do have
38:50a large
38:50population
38:51but if
38:52the fire
38:53bursting
38:53or the
38:54cracker
38:54bursting
38:55happens
38:55right across
38:55the police
38:56station
38:56I think
38:57there is
38:57a problem
38:57which is
38:58fundamental
38:58to our
38:59enforcement
39:00abilities
39:00and talks
39:01to it
39:01so there
39:02is no
39:02question about
39:03oh you
39:03know we
39:04are short
39:05on capacity
39:05absolutely
39:06I think
39:06the first
39:07thing we
39:07need to do
39:08is to make
39:08sure to
39:09hold accountable
39:10the state
39:11pollution control
39:12boards to
39:13fill in the
39:13positions of
39:14enforcement officers
39:15I have worked
39:17across the
39:17IGP region
39:18and I can
39:19tell you that
39:19the state
39:20capacity is
39:21extremely
39:22understaffed
39:23we do not
39:24have enough
39:25officers to
39:26regulate the
39:27district of
39:28Gurugram let
39:29alone the
39:29state of
39:30Haryana for
39:30instance
39:31right so the
39:32first things
39:32first why is
39:34it that the
39:34state pollution
39:35control boards
39:36cannot hire
39:37enough capacity
39:38to be able
39:39to enforce
39:40the targets
39:40that the
39:41respective state
39:41governments have
39:42put in place
39:42that is question
39:43number one
39:44and for that
39:44you can hold
39:45the state
39:46pollution control
39:46board responsible
39:47directly
39:48now having said
39:49that coming to
39:49the point that
39:50you are making
39:51about how do
39:51we get the
39:52chief ministers
39:52to sit
39:53together
39:53this has been
39:54done and
39:55this has been
39:56done under
39:57the directions
39:58of the
39:58honourable
39:58supreme court
39:59several times
40:00but the
40:00problem is
40:01it has never
40:02been elevated
40:02to the position
40:03of a chief
40:04minister
40:04the supreme
40:05court on
40:06multiple occasions
40:07has gotten
40:08hold of
40:08environment
40:09ministers
40:09gotten hold
40:10of state
40:10pollution control
40:11boards
40:12but it has
40:13never been
40:13elevated to
40:14a level
40:14a political
40:15level
40:15where a chief
40:16minister becomes
40:17responsible or
40:19could be held
40:19responsible for
40:21the condition
40:22first things
40:23first I think
40:24A the need
40:25for the
40:25honourable
40:25supreme court
40:26to come in
40:27I do see
40:28that the
40:29spokesperson
40:29from ARP
40:30is raising
40:30their hand
40:31but I must
40:32bring to
40:33the effort
40:34and knowledge
40:34I am aware
40:35of the fact
40:35that different
40:36chief ministers
40:37across the
40:37IGP region
40:38have made
40:39different promises
40:40none of those
40:40have been
40:41fulfilled
40:41simply both
40:42so now in
40:43order to get
40:44the chief
40:44minister to
40:45make this
40:45a political
40:46issue
40:46and get
40:47the exact
40:48the right
40:48type of
40:49momentum
40:49and limelight
40:50to the
40:50issue
40:51it needs
40:51to be
40:52elevated
40:52to a
40:53political
40:53stage
40:53that is
40:54one
40:54the second
40:55we do
40:55have a
40:56CAQM
40:57we do
40:57have
40:58you know
40:58these
40:58pollution
40:59control
41:00boards
41:00so on
41:00so forth
41:00please answer
41:01the question
41:02of how
41:02many
41:03technical
41:03people
41:04are employed
41:05in these
41:06different
41:06committees
41:07so you
41:08have
41:08different
41:08NGOs
41:09and different
41:10civil society
41:10expert
41:11members
41:11come in
41:12as
41:12advisors
41:13quote unquote
41:13not as
41:15people who
41:15are actually
41:16put in
41:16decision making
41:17positions
41:17those are
41:18IS officers
41:18and bureaucrats
41:19now
41:21I may be
41:22I may not
41:22know as much
41:23as other
41:23people may
41:24but the
41:25one thing
41:25I can tell
41:26you after
41:26having sat
41:27through multiple
41:27of these
41:28meetings
41:28and being
41:29privy to
41:29what happens
41:30in these
41:30meetings
41:31a lot
41:31of the
41:32bureaucracy
41:32may not
41:33be experts
41:34in the
41:35area of
41:35air pollution
41:36simply put
41:37if you can
41:38get the
41:39chief ministers
41:40to come
41:41together
41:41and say
41:42hey we
41:42have a
41:42problem
41:43here
41:43the IGP
41:44region
41:45is the
41:45problem
41:45we know
41:46the problem
41:46we have
41:47the solutions
41:48why is
41:49enforcement
41:49not happening
41:50and having
41:51I am pretty
41:52sure no
41:52chief minister
41:53in the IGP
41:53region wants
41:54to breed
41:542000 plus
41:55AQI
41:56so till
41:57the time
41:58these
41:58questions
41:59these fundamental
42:00questions can
42:00be answered
42:01of enforcement
42:02officers and
42:03getting actual
42:04experts and
42:05giving power to
42:06experts to
42:06enforce through
42:08those enforcement
42:08mechanisms is
42:09when we will
42:10be able to
42:10see change
42:11and no
42:12decision can
42:13be enforced
42:13in one state
42:14jurisdiction
42:15it has to
42:16be enforced
42:16across states
42:18together in
42:19the IGP
42:20region otherwise
42:21air does not
42:22know what is
42:22the state of
42:23Delhi or the
42:23state of
42:24Punjab
42:29I take
42:29your point
42:30I have
42:31listened to
42:31you patiently
42:32I have
42:32listened to
42:32all my
42:33guests
42:33patiently
42:34as I
42:35said my
42:35biggest fear
42:36is that
42:36we will all
42:37be back
42:37tomorrow
42:38same time
42:39same time
42:40of the year
42:41discussing the
42:42same issues
42:43this is a
42:43national air
42:44emergency
42:45I appreciate
42:46my guests
42:47joining me
42:47but I want
42:48to give my
42:48take also
42:49today
42:49the morning
42:51after Diwali
42:52the toxic
42:54air choking
42:55large parts
42:56of North
42:56India is
42:57not an
42:58unforeseen
42:59disaster my
43:00friends
43:00it is a
43:01predictable
43:02recurring
43:03failure of
43:04governance
43:05and collective
43:06responsibility
43:07the combination
43:09this year of
43:10firecracker
43:11emissions
43:11and stubble
43:12burning in
43:13Punjab
43:14Haryana
43:15and neighboring
43:15states
43:16is a real
43:17indictment of
43:19the absence of
43:20accountability
43:20in our system
43:22because this
43:22is happening
43:23year after
43:24year
43:24governments
43:25cannot hide
43:26behind their
43:27seasonal
43:27advisories
43:28emergency
43:29meetings
43:30and familiar
43:31blame games
43:32why are the
43:33regulations not
43:34being enforced
43:35why are viable
43:36alternatives to
43:37stubble burning
43:38not being made
43:39accessible at
43:40scale
43:41why does every
43:42year bring the
43:43same crisis
43:44with no
43:45consequences
43:46for administrative
43:47failure
43:47political inaction
43:49or the failure
43:50of the Supreme
43:51Court to
43:51ensure that
43:52their orders
43:52are enforced
43:54equally
43:55citizens
43:55you and I
43:56cannot demand
43:57clean air
43:58while refusing
43:59to acknowledge
44:00our own
44:00contribution
44:01to the
44:02problem
44:02the right
44:03to breathe
44:04cannot be
44:05reduced to a
44:06matter of
44:06individual choice
44:07or seasonal
44:08inconvenience
44:09it is a
44:10fundamental right
44:11and protecting
44:12it is a
44:13non-negotiable
44:14duty of the
44:15state
44:15when a
44:16preventable
44:17public health
44:17crisis recurs
44:18year after
44:19year it is
44:20no longer
44:21just pollution
44:22it is an
44:22accountability
44:23deficit
44:24and those
44:25responsible
44:26must answer
44:27for it
44:27I want to
44:28ask a simple
44:29question today
44:30at the end
44:30why can the
44:31union environment
44:32minister not
44:33set up a
44:34committee of
44:35all the chief
44:36ministers of
44:36these states
44:37and ensure
44:38that technical
44:39experts are
44:40brought in
44:41and given
44:42a plan of
44:43action
44:44if you
44:45are really
44:45interested in
44:46governance
44:47that's what
44:48you should be
44:48doing
44:49governing India
44:50not resorting
44:52to slogans
44:53and emergency
44:54measures
44:55when the
44:55crisis reaches
44:57a point
44:58where none
44:58of us can
44:59really have
45:00any choice
45:01when it comes
45:03to the right
45:03to breathe
45:04think about
45:05it
45:05next big
45:06story is
45:07coming from
45:07Karnataka
45:08where ethanol
45:09blending has
45:10triggered a
45:10major controversy
45:11in across
45:13South India
45:14starting with
45:15Karnataka
45:15the Karnataka
45:16government
45:16alleges that
45:17the E30
45:18level blending
45:19that is taking
45:20place even
45:22when the fuel
45:22that is being
45:23supplied to
45:23petrol pumps
45:24is meant to
45:25be E20
45:26it claims that
45:27oil companies
45:28in the centre
45:28are working
45:29together to
45:30exploit consumers
45:31remember Karnataka
45:32is an opposition
45:33ruled congress
45:34government and
45:35even Kerala
45:36now has joined
45:37in the chorus
45:37ordering checks
45:38on E20
45:39petrol oil
45:40companies in
45:41the centre
45:41though are
45:42denying the
45:43numbers being
45:44flouted
45:45take a look
45:45at this
45:46report
45:51rising fuel
45:52costs are
45:53already burning
45:53a hole in
45:54motorist pockets
45:55now a fresh
45:57controversy over
45:58ethanol blending
45:59has raised
45:59further concerns
46:01the Karnataka
46:03government has
46:03leveled serious
46:04allegations
46:05claiming that
46:06recent tests
46:07found higher
46:08than permitted
46:08ethanol content
46:09in petrol
46:10immediately the
46:11government
46:12should ensure
46:13that they go
46:14ahead and
46:15remove the
46:16ethanol mixing
46:17in the petrol
46:18and they claim
46:19that there is a
46:20huge loss
46:21for the people
46:22who are using
46:23the petrol
46:24across the country
46:25and they say
46:26that they will
46:27continue the
46:27protest until
46:28unless the
46:29government
46:30consider their
46:31demand and
46:32ensure that
46:33ethanol is
46:34not being
46:35mixed with
46:35the petrol
46:38the Karnataka
46:39government
46:39claims that
46:40E20 blending
46:41levels improved
46:42after its
46:43exposure and
46:45assured that
46:45it would conduct
46:46periodic tests
46:47we demand from
46:49the central
46:49government that
46:50there should be
46:50an independent
46:51testing mechanism
46:53established
46:53now they have
46:54been exposed
46:55and now they
46:56for some time
46:57they will
46:57saturate the
46:58E20 blend
46:59to what they
47:00have declared
47:01but we need
47:02to keep
47:03checking randomly
47:05according to
47:06the state's
47:07findings
47:07samples collected
47:09from 67
47:09locations
47:10showed ethanol
47:11content exceeding
47:13the prescribed
47:1420% limit
47:15in several
47:15instances
47:16allegedly going
47:17up to even
47:1830%
47:19but public
47:21sector oil
47:21marketing companies
47:22has rejected
47:23all claims
47:24made by
47:25Karnataka
47:25government
47:26the BJP
47:27has hit back
47:28at the
47:29Karnataka
47:29government
47:30questioning
47:30its findings
47:31and claiming
47:32that the
47:32state does
47:33not have
47:33a laboratory
47:34to test
47:34fuel quality
47:35he is not
47:37doing his
47:38proper
47:38his work
47:39showing
47:40central
47:41government
47:41I ask
47:43the state
47:44government
47:44you have
47:45any
47:45for petrol
47:46and diesel
47:47for investigation
47:50for anything
47:51you have
47:52any
47:54lab
47:54there is
47:56no lab
47:56for you
47:58no lab
47:59meant for
48:00petrol
48:00and diesel
48:02following
48:03Karnataka
48:04the Keralam
48:04government
48:05has also
48:06ordered
48:06fuel quality
48:07checks
48:07in four
48:08districts
48:08getting
48:09lot of
48:09complaints
48:10about
48:10vehicles
48:11getting
48:11damaged
48:12engines
48:12getting
48:12damaged
48:13and
48:13the
48:13mileage
48:13coming
48:14down
48:14many
48:14complaints
48:15and reports
48:16through the
48:16media
48:16are already
48:18there
48:18also the
48:19recent
48:19inspections
48:20in Karnataka
48:21was also
48:22major concern
48:22to us
48:23so we are
48:25ruling out
48:25all such
48:25concerns
48:26we are
48:27trying for
48:28this inspection
48:29we are
48:29trying to
48:30rule out
48:30that there
48:31are no
48:31discrepancies
48:32in the
48:33patrols that
48:33are sold
48:34in the
48:34state of
48:35Kerala
48:35The
48:36controversy
48:37has now
48:37raised a
48:38larger
48:38question
48:38is the
48:39petrol you
48:40are buying
48:40actually
48:41E20
48:41or a
48:42higher
48:43blend
48:43Bureau
48:44Report
48:44India
48:45Today
48:47That's
48:48just about
48:49all that
48:49we could
48:50pack in
48:50on this
48:51Monday night
48:52the day
48:52after Diwali
48:53hope you
48:53have had
48:53a safe
48:54peaceful
48:54and
48:55hopefully
48:56a noise
48:56free
48:57Diwali
48:57Diwali
48:58of lights
48:59and so
48:59much else
49:00to celebrate
49:01in this
49:02wonderful
49:02festival
49:03of ours
49:05I want
49:06to leave
49:06you with
49:07our image
49:08of the
49:08day
49:08many world
49:09leaders
49:09posting videos
49:10wishing the
49:11people of
49:12India
49:12a very
49:13happy
49:13Diwali
49:13one of
49:14them has
49:14gone viral
49:15Malaysian
49:16Prime Minister
49:16Anwar
49:17Ebrahim
49:17wishing
49:18Dipavali
49:19in true
49:19Rajdi Khan
49:20style in
49:21Tamil
49:21remember
49:22Malaysia
49:22has a
49:22large
49:23Tamil
49:23expat
49:24population
49:24his video
49:25has been
49:26quite the
49:26hit
49:27I need
49:28you with
49:28that
49:28video
49:28thanks for
49:29watching
49:29stay well
49:30stay safe
49:31goodnight
49:31Shubhra
49:32Jai Hind
49:32Namaskar
49:35without
49:35love
49:35don't
49:36I
49:37don't
49:38have
49:39you
49:39I
49:40don't
49:40I
49:50don't
49:50I
49:54don't
49:55I
49:55don't
49:56don't
49:56don't