Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Wednesday lambasted the Punjab government for not taking adequate measures to control farm fires in the state even as Delhi-NCR is choking due to the high level of pollution. 

The minister said in a tweet: “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.”

The minister pointed out that 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 out of which 11,275 have gone missing.

He has also highlighted that last year, Rs 212 crore meant for taking measures to help farmers reduce stubble burning, were left unspent which shows incompetence in the utilisation of funds by the Punjab government.

“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,” Yadav pointed out.

The minister further said that the Chief Minister of Punjab has failed to even provide relief to farmers in his own turf of Sangrur. Reeling out figures he said, “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.”

The minister’s statement exposing the Punjab government comes at a time when the AAP government has started a blame game over the pollution in Delhi-NCR which has come under a thick haze with the air quality deteriorating to very poor and severe levels.

These are the highest levels of pollution that are leading to a surge in breathing problems and other respiratory diseases. Parents of children in the national capital are demanding that schools be shut as the health of kids could be adversely impacted due to the high level of pollutants in the national capital.