Delhi plans joint action with Punjab, Haryana to curb farm fires

Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said he would seek to jointly meet the chief ministers of both states to formulate an action plan and dissuade farmers from burning stubble

The Delhi government has decided to engage with the state governments of Punjab and Haryana for joint action to control paddy stubble burning.

The Centre has spent over ₹3,200 crore on subsidised machinery since 2018 to check the menace, but little change was seen on ground as farmers continued to set fields on fire. (HT File)

Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said he would seek to jointly meet the chief ministers of both states to formulate an action plan and dissuade farmers from burning stubble.

Both states have, in the past, objected to the Delhi government placing the blame on them for smog formation in Capital in the months of October and November when paddy fields are cleared for the next crop.

The Centre has spent over ₹3,200 crore on subsidised machinery since 2018 to check the menace, but little change was seen on ground as farmers continued to set fields on fire.

“All the states including Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are making efforts to curb pollution, but they are working in silos. A joint plan that covers the larger geographic area would bring good results,” said Sirsa.

In 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had proposed that ₹2,500 per acre should be given to farmers in the state to stop them from stubble burning. The Punjab government had sent the proposal to the commission for air quality management (CAQM), stating that Delhi and Punjab should give ₹500 each while the Centre should provide ₹1,500. The Centre had rejected the proposal, stating that cash incentives are already given to farmers under the crop residue management (CRM) plan.