Punjab Govt 'Misleading' People On Issue Of Stubble Burning: Sirsa

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said the AAP government in Punjab was "misleading" the people over the issue of stubble burning, alleging that a sharp rise in farm fires in the state had contributed to the deterioration in the national capital's air quality.

Sirsa claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had falsely stated that paddy harvesting had not started in his state, while figures released by the state government showed that 77 per cent of the harvesting has already been completed.

Stubble Burning Data Dispute

He also questioned Mann's assertion that smoke from Punjab did not travel to Delhi, recalling a November 4, 2022, press conference where the Punjab chief minister had taken responsibility for addressing stubble burning and then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had acknowledged that polluted air travels across state boundaries.

Citing pollution and farm-fire data, Sirsa said Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) rose from 60 on October 30 to around 350 within four days, while the number of farm fires in Punjab increased sharply during the same period.

He claimed that 584 farm fires were reported in Punjab on November 3, the highest single-day count so far this season, compared to 292 incidents on November 4 last year.

Sirsa further cited the Punjab Pollution Control Board figures, claiming that 2,196 farm-fire incidents had been recorded in the state and 494 FIRs registered so far. He alleged that action was being taken against farmers while officials responsible for enforcement were being spared.

Accusing the Punjab government of failing to provide farmers with adequate alternatives to stubble burning, he alleged that the Centre had released Rs 5,000 crore for the procurement of equipment such as happy seeders and balers, but the state government had failed to ensure their availability.

He also said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had summoned deputy commissioners and senior police officials of several Punjab districts on November 4 over their alleged failure to check farm fires.

Sirsa alleged the Punjab government was under-reporting farm fires and questioned its claims of a 90 per cent reduction in stubble burning, pointing to the reported increase in incidents this season.

Allegations Of Political Inaction

The minister also alleged that the AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab had failed to address pollution and accused the party of politicising the issue.

There was no immediate response from the AAP.

The minister said the Delhi government had undertaken several measures to improve air quality and that the city had recorded 220 days of relatively clean air. He also maintained that no major new construction activity, polluting industries or influx of polluting vehicles could explain the sudden deterioration in air quality.

The minister attributed the worsening pollution partly to smoke from Punjab, carried towards Delhi by winds associated with the Western Disturbances.

Sirsa also apologised to residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) facing inconvenience due to restrictions on the entry of vehicles below BS-VI standards into Delhi, saying the measures had been taken to protect public health.

He urged people from neighbouring areas to cooperate with the restrictions, saying vehicular emissions from the NCR also affect Delhi's air quality.