Farm leaders in Punjab voiced their concerns, stating that they are being unfairly targeted and defamed for the air pollution in Delhi. They stressed that the major culprits responsible for the pollution in the National Capital are industries, vehicles, and the construction sector, not stubble burning.
Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana has long been associated with elevated pollution levels in Delhi during October and November each year. Amid the recent decline in air quality in the National Capital, both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have pointed fingers at stubble burning in the neighboring states for the deteriorating air quality.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema argued that most stubble burning incidents are occurring in the BJP-ruled states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, while such cases are decreasing in his own state.
In contrast, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jai Prakash Dalal criticized the government led by Bhagwant Mann for the stubble burning incidents in Haryana.
Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, the general secretary of Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan), emphasized that farmers are unjustly facing blame and defamation for air pollution in Delhi. He questioned how it was possible that smoke from crop residue burning in Punjab could solely affect Delhi and not Jalandhar, Amritsar, and other districts within the state.“Where farm fires are taking place, the air quality is good. How is it causing pollution 300 km away in Delhi?” wondered Mr. Kokrikalan. He firmly stated, “It is vehicles, industries, and the construction sector that pollute the air in Delhi.”
Mr. Kokrikalan asserted that “farmers of Punjab are being defamed under a conspiracy.”
Punjab’s paddy growers continue to burn crop residue to clear their fields for sowing wheat crops, as the window between harvesting and sowing the next crop is limited. To ensure optimal crop yields, farmers have been advised to sow wheat within the first fortnight of November.
According to data from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Punjab reported 19,463 farm fires from September 15 to November 6, marking a 35% decrease compared to the same period the previous year. Of these, 2,060 stubble burning incidents were reported on Monday.
Stubble burning incidents from November 1 to November 6 account for 61% of the total cases in the current season.
Farmers are calling for the government to facilitate the collection of stubble from fields, as they are willing to provide it free of cost. Additionally, they demand a bonus of ₹200 per quintal for managing stubble.