Sirsa Accuses Punjab Government of Misleading Public Over Stubble Burning Issue

NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of misleading the public over stubble burning, claiming that an increase in farm fires across the state had contributed to worsening air pollution in the national capital.

Sirsa alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had incorrectly claimed that paddy harvesting had not yet begun in the state. He pointed to government figures indicating that nearly 77 per cent of the harvesting process had already been completed.

Questioning Mann’s statement that smoke from Punjab did not reach Delhi, the minister referred to a press conference held on November 4, 2022, when the Punjab chief minister had accepted responsibility for tackling stubble burning. He also recalled that then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had acknowledged that air pollution crosses state boundaries.

Highlighting the connection between farm fires and deteriorating air quality, Sirsa said Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed from 60 on October 30 to approximately 350 within four days. He linked the deterioration to a simultaneous increase in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab.

According to the figures cited by the minister, Punjab recorded 584 farm fires on November 3, marking the highest single-day count of the current season. He compared this with 292 incidents reported on November 4 last year.

Sirsa also referred to Punjab Pollution Control Board data, claiming that the state had registered 2,196 farm-fire incidents so far, while 494 FIRs had been filed in connection with the violations. He alleged that authorities were taking action against farmers but failing to hold officials responsible for implementing preventive measures accountable.

The Delhi minister further criticised the Punjab government for allegedly failing to make sufficient alternatives available to farmers to prevent the burning of crop residue.

He claimed that the Centre had provided Rs 5,000 crore for purchasing agricultural machinery, including happy seeders and balers, but accused the state government of failing to ensure that farmers could access the equipment.

Sirsa also said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had called deputy commissioners and senior police officials from several Punjab districts for a meeting on November 4 over their alleged inability to control farm fires.

Questioning the state government’s claims of a 90 per cent reduction in stubble burning, he alleged that the actual figures indicated a worsening situation and accused authorities of under-reporting incidents.

Targeting the AAP governments in both Delhi and Punjab, Sirsa said they had failed to address the pollution crisis and were instead using the issue for political purposes. There was no immediate response from the AAP to the allegations.

The minister maintained that the Delhi government had introduced several initiatives to improve air quality and claimed that the capital had experienced 220 days of relatively clean air.

He argued that the sudden deterioration could not be explained by new construction activities, industrial pollution or an increase in polluting vehicles within Delhi. Instead, he attributed part of the worsening air quality to smoke originating from Punjab and carried towards the national capital by winds associated with Western Disturbances.

Sirsa also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) following restrictions on the entry of vehicles below BS-VI emission standards into Delhi.

Defending the restrictions, he said the measures were necessary to safeguard public health amid worsening pollution levels. He appealed to residents of neighbouring areas to cooperate with the regulations, pointing out that vehicular emissions across the NCR also contribute to Delhi’s pollution.

The minister reiterated that tackling air pollution required coordinated efforts from neighbouring states and urged the Punjab government to take effective steps to prevent further incidents of crop-residue burning.