Chandigarh, November 14, 2017: Mrs Kiran Chaudhry, Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, has asked the BJP Government, led by the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal Khattar, to stop playing politics on pollution, wake up from slumber, and adopt preventive-cum-curative approach to combat and defeat the menace of lungs-choking smog which is assuming alarming proportions.
In a statement issued here today, the former excise and taxation minister said the BJP Government should engage MGNREGA workers to root our rice stubble from the fields, give farmers loans to buy machines to do the job, and shut down all schools for another week or so in the NCR, including Gurugram, Faridabad and parts of Sonipat district.
Since the pollution levels in these districts had entered the danger zone making many, especially children and the aged, complain of respiratory problems and other health conditions, urgent measures must be taken to mitigate pollution.
On the issue of stubble, she asked the government to stop penalising the farmers for burning it, and instead adopt a two-pronged approach to tackle the issue. The government should hire MGNREGA workers to root out stubble and pay them wages. Also, it should provide the farmers easy loans for the purchase/ hiring of such machines as simultaneously cut rice stubble and sow wheat seeds, Mrs Choudhry added.
Mrs Choudhry demanded that the authorities should also up special nakas on the highways and other roads to check the pollution levels of vehicles. Steps should also be taken to provide for additional facilities at the health centres and government hospitals to cope with the rising number of patients.