As air quality in the national capital continues to remain at alarming levels, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly objected to attempts to link Delhi’s worsening pollution with Punjab and its farmers. Addressing the issue through a live interaction, Mann said it is unfair and misleading to repeatedly blame Punjab when the state has made significant progress in reducing stubble burning incidents.
The Chief Minister pointed out that cases of crop residue burning in Punjab have dropped sharply, with a reduction of nearly 80 to 90 percent compared to previous years. He said despite this improvement, Punjab continues to be portrayed as the primary cause of Delhi’s air crisis, even when air quality indicators in Punjab remain largely within acceptable limits.
Highlighting the contrast in air conditions, Mann said Delhi’s Air Quality Index has crossed the 500 mark in several areas, indicating a severe public health emergency, while the air in Punjab is comparatively clean at present. He questioned the logic behind blaming Punjab, stating that if smoke from stubble burning were truly travelling to Delhi, it would first impact the lungs of Punjab’s farmers, their families and nearby villages. According to him, the health data on the ground does not support this narrative.
The Chief Minister also challenged the scientific basis of the allegations, explaining that for smoke to travel from Punjab to Delhi, strong winds would need to blow consistently from north to south at very high speeds. Mann said such wind conditions are currently absent, making it unreasonable to claim that Punjab’s smoke is responsible for Delhi’s hazardous air quality.
Reiterating his stand, Bhagwant Mann urged the central government to stop politicising the stubble burning issue and instead work towards a long-term and practical solution. He said farmers cannot be made scapegoats every year while structural problems related to pollution management in Delhi remain unaddressed.
Mann emphasized that air pollution is a serious health concern affecting millions and requires coordinated action rather than blame games. He called on the Centre to focus on comprehensive pollution control measures for Delhi, including traffic emissions, industrial pollution and urban waste, while continuing to support farmers with sustainable alternatives to stubble burning.