Pakistan and India detained dozens of farmers for burning crop waste illegally as part of their attempts to reduce dangerous air pollution levels on both sides of the border.
Authorities in the northern Indian state of Haryana said Tuesday that at least 16 farmers had been arrested for unlawfully burning paddy stubble to clear fields, a practice that contributes to air pollution in the area surrounding New Delhi as winter approaches.
As temperatures drop and chilly air traps construction dust, car emissions, and smoke—much of which officials claim originates from the nearby breadbasket states of Punjab and Haryana—India’s national capital region struggles with pollution every year.
According to police in the Kaithal area of Haryana, 22 reports of stubble burning had been filed, Reuters reported.
