Haryana govt points fingers at Delhi and Punjab over pollution problem
Oct 27, 2023
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], October 27 : The three neighbouring states- Delhi, Punjab and Haryana locked in tussle over the pollution problem in the state. Haryana has released images which it claims are from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) showing more stubble burning in Punjab than in Haryana.
The Haryana government has released images that they claim shows that there are more than double stubbing burning incidents in Punjab as compared to Haryana on October 25 and 26.
Jawahar Yadav, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar's OSD (Officer on Special Duty) has targeted Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab over the issue of stubble burning.
Notably, the Delhi CM many times has held farmers burning stubble in Haryana as one of the reasons for the increase in pollution in Delhi.
"There is data from NASA of October 25 and 26, which clearly shows where there is stubble burning in Punjab and in Haryana. More than double stubble burning has occurred in Punjab as compared to Haryana. The Haryana government has brought it down. The silence of Arvind Kejriwal about the NASA data creates suspicion. He has alleged that Indian agencies are not giving data on pollution. Why does he need it now? The Punjab government has failed, and Arvind Kejriwal's face has been exposed in front of the public," Jawahar Yadav, OSD to Haryana CM said.
Punjab government on Friday also listed out the steps the state government has taken to improve air quality.
"Timely distribution of machines, utilisation of machines lying idle, efforts to ensure maximum utilisation of stubble in various industries, various deterrence efforts, campaigns to promote various in-situ and ex-situ methods and appeals to farmers have shown significant efforts and ensured improved air quality for everyone," the government said in a statement.
Earlier, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that blaming Delhi for an increase in pollution in entire North India is petty politics.
"If you look at the area of Delhi, Delhi is so small that it is not even visible on the map of India. To think that pollution is happening in North India because of Delhi is petty politics. The Central Government will have to work with the states to make better and long-term plans. Only when pollution comes, blaming others will not help." Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
The Delhi Minister feels that there is a need for the Central government to sit with states and make a long-term plan to curb pollution in Northern India instead of laying the blame on Delhi.
