India, Feb. 17 -- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR on Monday issued directions to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, calling for coordinated and time-bound implementation of state action plans to prevent and eliminate wheat stubble burning during the upcoming 2026 summer harvesting season. This includes mapping each farm in all villages for wheat stubble management interventions, tagging specific nodal officers to a group of farmers, constituting a "Parali Protection Force" (PPF) at the district or block level and intensifying patrolling during late evening hours.

Issuing a statutory direction for the same, CAQM said complementary efforts were also expected from Delhi and Rajasthan on this.

CAQM note...