The Indo-US workshop on air pollution concluded with heated words on each other on Wednesday. Sunita Narain, head of the centre for science and Environment and some other experts from the US. This discussion broke out after one of the experts suggested that the state burns crop stubble contributing air pollution.

“If you want to work here, you have to respect the action that is already happening here. The reason farmers in Punjab and Haryana burn crop stubble is because there are no economic incentives to stop burning. They don’t have machinery that will allow them to bail it and plough it back. Please don’t lecture us unless you are sensitive to the challenges here,” Narain said.

She also says that many participants are behaving like India just detected the problem of air pollution.

“Local and global pollution are intrinsically linked. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector in the US are increasing. You can help us fix local and we can work together to fix the global problem,” she said.

She says that this system already exists in India but there is no proper implementation. About the comprehensive Environment, pollution Index classifies different parts of the country depending upon the pollution and toxicity and other parameters.

“But the data available was very poor so even decision making has been poor. We don’t have a full proof way of finding out whether the interventions are working. It forces accountability. It is a good model but we need to have basics in place,” Narain said.

Some participants took exceptions from US embassy`s claims that it is to ensure the polluted air from outside doesn`t enter embassy premises.

“The recommendations will be consolidated and then used to move forward on air pollution control. We are open to criticism and different views in the forum,” they said.