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Jaipur: Concerned over air pollution levels reaching alarming levels in the state, police headquarters on Thursday reissued strict orders to all station house officers (SHOs) to ensure that crop residues are not in areas burnt within their jurisdictions.
The directive warns that SHOs will be held personally responsible for any such incident and face departmental action if violations occur. The orders come as a continuation of earlier instructions issued by the home department on Nov 8. These instructions authorise SHOs across the state to prevent crop residue burning, which is a major contributor to air pollution.
The state govt has also asked district collectors to form committees at the sub-divisional level under the chairpersonship of sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs). These committees will comprise nayab tehsildars, block development officers, tehsildars, and assistant agriculture officers. The committees' primary aim is to ensure crop residues are destroyed onsite in the fields rather than being set ablaze.
SHOs have also been directed to coordinate closely with these committees to enforce preventive measures effectively. The order aligns with a Supreme Court of India directive issued last year, which called on states adjacent to Delhi—Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh—to stop crop burning immediately. The apex court stressed the need of holding SHOs accountable under the supervision of the respective state DGPs and chief secretaries.