Scam is where AAP is: Union minister slams Punjab govt over farm fires; blames it for turning Delhi into 'gas chamber'

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday launched all-out attack on the Aam Aadmi Party over the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital, alleging the ruling party had turned Delhi into a “gas chamber”. 

"As of today, Punjab, a state run by the AAP government, has seen an over 19% rise in farm fires over 2021. Haryana has seen a 30.6% drop. Just today, Punjab saw 3,634 fires. There is no doubt over who has turned Delhi into a gas chamber," Yadav tweeted.

"Scam is where AAP is. In the last 5 years, the Central Government gave Rs 1,347 crore for crop residue management machines to Punjab. The state bought 1,20,000 machines. 11,275 of those machines have gone missing. Money utilisation shows clear incompetence," he alleged.

Sample this: As of today, Punjab, a state run by the AAP government, has seen an over 19% rise in farm fires over 2021. Haryana has seen a 30.6% drop.

Just today, Punjab saw 3,634 fires.

There is no doubt over who has turned Delhi into a gas chamber.

Wondering how? Read on... pic.twitter.com/Nh8fYN9gnf

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) November 2, 2022

"Last year, Rs 212 crore were left unspent. This year, the Central Govt gave Punjab Rs 280 crore for crop residue management machines. So about Rs 492 crore was available but the state govt chose to sit with the funds forcing helpless farmers to burn the crop residue," the minister wrote.

"The Chief Minister of Punjab has failed to even provide relief to farmers in his own turf of Sangrur. Last year (Sept 15-Nov 2) farm fires in Sangrur stood at 1,266. This year they have shot up by 139% rising to 3,025," Yadav said, targeting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The Union minister’s charge came on a day when Punjab reported 3,634 farm fires, the highest this season so far, though their share in Delhi PM2.5 pollution stood at just 12 percent due to unfavourable transport-level wind speed. 

SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had earlier said stubble burning accounted for 32 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in the capital on Wednesday.

According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Punjab reported 3,634 farm fires on Wednesday, the highest this year so far. The number stood at 1,842 on Tuesday, 2,131 on Monday, 1,761 on Sunday, 1,898 on Saturday and 2,067 on Friday.

Meanwhile , Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed the central government for rising incidents of stubble burning in Punjab and said it should "resign" if it cannot control air pollution.

He told reporters here that the Punjab government had prepared a plan to give a cash incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre to farmers so that they are not forced to burn stubble.

"The Centre rejected the proposal. They said they won't do anything for the farmers because of their protests against the three farm laws. The central government's hatred for farmers is the reason behind the smoke (from farm fires) all around," Kejriwal claimed.

He said the Delhi government has been doing everything possible to fight air pollution and has strictly implemented curbs on pollution activities under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Similarly, the Punjab government has taken all necessary steps to prevent stubble burning.

"If the Centre cannot control air pollution, it should resign. We will then show how to do it," he said.

The Delhi and Punjab governments jointly sent a proposal to the Centre in July to help them give cash incentives to farmers in the agrarian state for not burning stubble.

According to the proposal, Delhi and Punjab would give Rs 500 each and the Centre would contribute Rs 1,500 per acre.

Farmers say a cash incentive can help them cover the cost of the fuel used in operating the machinery for the in-situ management of paddy straw.

According to Punjab government officials, the Centre rejected the proposal, saying it has been providing subsidised machinery to farmers, such as happy seeders, rotavators and mulchers, for the in-situ management of paddy straw and that it does not have money to dole out cash incentives.

"Air pollution impacts the entire north India, not just Punjab and Delhi. The air quality index is worsening across Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Is it because of the Aam Aadmi Party?" the chief minister said while talking to reporters.

"If the entire north India is reeling under air pollution, who will find a solution to it? The prime minister will have to do it. He will have to convene meetings with everyone. Why isn't the PM doing that?" he said.