New Delhi, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said the A 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.
He also maintained that no major new construction activity, polluting industries or influx of polluting vehicles could explain the sudden deterioration in 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. 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 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. Accusing the Punjab government of failing to provide farmers with adequate alternatives to stubble burning, he alleged that the Centre had released ₹ 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 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. 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.
