Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of misleading people over stubble burning, alleging that a rise in farm fires in the state had contributed to the deterioration in Delhi's air quality.
Sirsa questioned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's claim that paddy harvesting had not begun in the state, saying government figures showed that 77% of the harvesting had already been completed. He also challenged Mann's assertion that smoke from Punjab did not travel to Delhi, citing a November 4, 2022, press conference at which the Punjab chief minister had accepted responsibility for tackling stubble burning.
Sirsa recalled that then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had acknowledged at the time that polluted air crossed state boundaries. He accused the Punjab government of now denying the impact of farm fires on the national capital.
Sirsa cites rise in farm fires and Delhi AQI
The Delhi minister said the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) had climbed from 60 on October 30 to around 350 within four days, coinciding with a sharp increase in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab.
According to Sirsa, the state recorded 584 farm fires on November 3, its highest single-day count of the season. He compared this with 292 incidents reported on November 4 last year.
He also cited Punjab Pollution Control Board figures, saying the state had recorded 2,196 farm-fire incidents and registered 494 FIRs up to November 3. Sirsa alleged that the authorities were taking action against farmers while sparing officials responsible for enforcing measures to prevent stubble burning.
However, figures reported subsequently showed that Punjab's cumulative tally had risen to 2,347 incidents by November 4, with 647 FIRs registered. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also issued show-cause notices to deputy commissioners and senior police officials in five Punjab districts over their alleged failure to contain farm fires.
Sirsa questioned the Punjab government's claim of a 90% reduction in stubble burning, alleging that the reported increase in incidents this season contradicted its assertions. He also accused the state government of under-reporting farm fires.
Questions over equipment and action against officials
Sirsa alleged that the Punjab government had failed to provide farmers with adequate alternatives to burning crop residue. He claimed that the Centre had released ₹5,000 crore for the procurement of equipment such as happy seeders and balers, but the state government had not ensured that farmers could access the machinery.
He further said the CAQM had summoned deputy commissioners and senior police officials from several Punjab districts on November 4 over their alleged failure to check stubble burning.
The minister accused the AAP governments in Punjab and Delhi of failing to address pollution and alleged that the party was politicising the issue. There was no immediate response from the AAP to his latest remarks.
The allegations come amid a political dispute between the BJP-led Delhi government and the AAP government in Punjab over the contribution of farm fires to the national capital's pollution. The AAP has rejected accusations that Punjab is responsible for Delhi's deteriorating air quality and has maintained that the number of stubble-burning incidents has declined.
Sirsa defends Delhi's pollution-control measures
Sirsa said the Delhi government had taken several steps to improve air quality and claimed the city had recorded 220 days of relatively clean air. He argued that there had been no major increase in new construction activity, polluting industries or the entry of polluting vehicles that could explain the sudden deterioration.
He attributed part of the worsening pollution to smoke from Punjab being carried towards Delhi by winds associated with Western Disturbances.
The minister also apologised to residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) who were facing inconvenience because of restrictions on the entry of vehicles below BS-VI emission standards into Delhi.
He urged people from neighbouring areas to cooperate with the restrictions, saying vehicular emissions from across the NCR also affected the capital's air quality. Sirsa maintained that the measures were necessary to protect public health.