AAP, BJP trade charges over farm fires, pollution

The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a one-member committee headed by one of its former judges, Justice Madan B Lokur, to carry out a physical surveillance of farm fires in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh -- a main cause of air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region -- and submit a report after Dussehra vacation.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday accused the governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab of not being able to control crop stubble burning, which worsens Delhi’s air quality very winter. It also said the city’s BJP-ruled municipal corporations were polluting Delhi’s air by burning garbage in the open.

In a separate press conference, AAP other spokesperson Raghav Chadha accused the BJP-led municipal corporations in Delhi (MCD) of polluting Delhi’s air by burning of garbage in the open at a time when the air quality level is in “poor” category. (ANI file photo)

“The governments in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab have failed in stopping crop stubble burning. They have failed in ensuring incentives to farmers for not indulging in crop stubble burning. The stubble burning in these states significantly worsens Delhi’s air quality. We are thankful that the Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the matter and set up a committee to monitor crop stubble burning in these states,” Saurabh Bhardwaj ,chief spokesperson of the party, said.

The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a one-member committee headed by one of its former judges, Justice Madan B Lokur, to carry out a physical surveillance of farm fires in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh -- a main cause of air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region -- and submit a report after Dussehra vacation.

Reacting to the allegations, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) member secretary Krunesh Garg said, “The issue raised (by Aam Aadmi Party) needs to be analysed properly if there is a truth. In my opinion, if the issue has been raised it should be corroborated with evidence and supported technically. As technocrats, we are open to suggestions, and there is no denying the fact that Punjab is doing its best to control stubble fires.”

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said the Punjab government is doing all it can to curb stubble burning, but the problem lies elsewhere. “If the AAP has the guts, it should question the Central government. Paddy stubble management by farmers means they have to incur extra cost. The chief minister (Capt Amarinder Singh) has written to the Centre several times, seeking funds for cost compensation to motivate farmers against burning of paddy residue, but there has been no response from them so far,” he said.

The chief engineer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, VK Singh, said, “We are tackling the issue of stubble burning proactively. Punitive measures like fines and FIR are being taken.” A fine of Rs 2 lakh in total has been imposed on over 60 farmers in West UP districts and FIRs have been filed, he said.

In a separate press conference, the party’s other spokesperson Raghav Chadha accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led municipal corporations in Delhi (MCD) of polluting Delhi’s air by burning of garbage in the open at a time when the air quality level is in “poor” category.

Chadha said, “The BJP-ruled MCDs is Delhi have been caught burning garbage in Kirari area. The impunity with which the MCDs are playing havoc with the health of Delhi residents is flabbergasting to say the least. Delhi is breathing toxic air because of the MCDs,” Chadha said.

He said, “The Delhi government has been fighting pollution with all its political will and administrative might. The EPCA should take strong action against the MCDs.”

Reacting to Chadha’s allegations, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “This is manipulation of words by Aam Aadmi Party leaders. A solitary accident happens somewhere and they say MCDs are burning garbage as a practice. Such allegations are a part of AAP’s strategy to tarnish the image of hardworking civic sanitation workers. “

“Today, the Delhi BJP has drawn attention towards massive dust pollution due to callous works at several PWD projects across the city, including at Ashram Chowk, Pragati Maidan and especially Chandni Chowk, for which the Delhi High Court has shown concern and demands a reply from the Delhi government on this.”

In a separate presser, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said the Delhi government is little to address local factors that contribute 95% to air pollution. He said stubble burning accounts for 5% of air pollution currently. He asked AAP what it had done since the beginning of the year to address the issue.