Delhi government accuses AAP in Punjab of worsening pollution by ‘forcing’ stubble burning

The Delhi government on Tuesday blamed the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab for the toxic haze over the capital after Diwali, claiming that large-scale stubble burning in Punjab was the primary cause of the pollution, not firecrackers.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that the AAP was responsible for “deliberately forcing” farmers in neighbouring Punjab to burn record amounts of paddy stubble on Diwali night, contributing to the thick haze that blanketed Delhi the following morning.

“To please only a particular community, he [Arvind Kejriwal] is criticising this festival of Lord Shri Ram,” Sirsa said. “This is not a festival of the BJP, but of…Hindu Dharma. Baseless accusations without data, without facts!”

Also read: Delhi’s failure to act against the biggest source of its air pollution – vehicles

Sirsa added that despite the Supreme Court permitting the use of green firecrackers, Delhi’s Air Quality Index rose by only 11 points this year. He claimed this increase was lower than in previous years – under the AAP administration when firecrackers were banned, ANI reported.

He said that the Delhi government had requested the Supreme Court to allow green firecrackers “so that the people of Delhi can celebrate Diwali with faith”.

On October 15, the Supreme Court allowed the sale and use of green firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region, subject to certain conditions.

The bench...

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