The BJP has urged Delhi and Punjab leaders to take immediate action against farm fires, warning of their impact on Delhi’s worsening air quality.
New Delhi
The BJP on Tuesday warned of the looming threat of farm fires in Punjab and their potential impact on Delhi’s air quality, urging AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take “urgent” action. Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT and National Information head, tweeted that public health and clean air cannot wait, emphasizing that the responsibility lies with the AAP.
The statement comes amid ongoing disputes between the BJP and AAP over the role of stubble burning in Delhi’s winter pollution. While Kejriwal’s government in Punjab has claimed farm fires contribute minimally to Delhi’s air deterioration, the BJP continues to highlight the danger. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta recently criticized the previous AAP administration for alleged irregularities in its bio-decomposer scheme for farm waste management.
Historically, Kejriwal had blamed stubble burning in Punjab for Delhi’s air pollution spikes during his tenure as Delhi CM, but after AAP assumed power in Punjab, he cited effective measures reducing such incidents. Last year, the Supreme Court reprimanded Punjab and Haryana for inadequate enforcement of the stubble burning ban, describing state efforts as “mere eyewash” and criticizing lax environmental laws, including gaps in the CAQM Act of 2021.
Meanwhile, the BJP-led Delhi government is pursuing technological solutions, such as ‘smog‑eating’ photocatalytic coatings on roads and tiles, in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, to curb NO2 and hydrocarbons. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa highlighted Delhi’s focus on measurable, science-based interventions to ensure cleaner air for residents, particularly children and seniors.
