After Supreme Court’s rap, Centre’s Air Quality panel forms ‘flying squads’ to curb stubble burning

The Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday (October 1) said that it has deployed flying squads in 16 districts of Punjab and 10 districts of Haryana to curb stubble burning during the ongoing paddy harvesting season. It also said that a ‘Paddy Stubble Management Cell’ will soon be set up at Mohali/Chandigarh to enhance coordination during this critical period. The move comes just days after the Supreme Court raised concerns about the effectiveness of CAQM’s interventions in combating pollution.