Punjab News:BJP Leaders Must Stop Blaming Punjab’s Farmers For Delhi Pollution; Answer For Their Own Failure To Control AQI: Baltej Pannu

BJP Leaders Are Making Punjab Farmers Scapegoat Instead Of Addressing Real Causes Of Pollution In Delhi: Baltej Pannu

Punjab’s Farmers Are Selling Stubble To Industries For CNG, Cardboard & Other Products Instead Of Burning It: Baltej Pannu

Parliament’s Last Year’s Data Shows 80% Drop In Stubble Burning In Punjab, 21,000+ CRM Machines Deployed; Yet BJP Runs Propaganda Against Punjab: Baltej Pannu

Delhi AQI At 350+, Haryana At 250-300, Punjab At 125; BJP Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa Must Check Facts Before Targeting Punjab’s Farmers: Baltej Pannu

BJP Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa Must Visit Punjab To See Ground Reality Of Stubble Management: Baltej Pannu

Visit Punjab & See Thousands Of Stubble Bales Instead Of Spreading Lies; Bhagwant Mann Govt Turns Crop Waste Into Economic Resource: Baltej Pannu

Centre Refused To Share Financial Burden Of Stubble Management Despite Bhagwant Mann Govt’s Offer: Baltej Pannu

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Tuesday tore into the BJP for repeatedly blaming Punjab’s farmers for Delhi’s pollution while conveniently ignoring the substantial efforts made by the Bhagwant Mann government and farmers to manage paddy stubble. Taking direct aim at Delhi BJP Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the AAP Punjab Media In-charge said BJP leaders are making Punjab’s farmers scapegoats instead of addressing the multiple sources of pollution in the national capital.

Pointing out that Parliament’s data recorded an 80% decline in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab last year and that the Bhagwant Mann government has deployed more than 21,000 Crop Residue Management machines, he challenged the BJP Delhi Minister and other BJP leaders to visit Punjab and witness the ground reality instead of spreading propaganda. He also reminded the Centre that it had refused to share the financial burden of stubble management despite the Bhagwant Mann government’s offer, asserting that BJP leaders must answer for Delhi’s pollution instead of shifting the blame onto Punjab’s farmers.

Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu stated, “Even before the paddy harvesting season had properly begun, certain leaders had started running a campaign to defame Punjab for Delhi’s pollution. How can smoke from Punjab supposedly cross Haryana and reach Delhi through some imaginary pipeline so quickly? BJP leaders are conveniently ignoring the multiple sources of pollution in the national capital. Several reports and even discussions in Parliament have established that stubble burning is not the only cause of Delhi’s pollution.”

Citing the Union Environment Minister’s statement in Parliament, he continued, “Stubble-burning incidents in Punjab declined by 80% last year due to improved management and sustained efforts. The Bhagwant Mann government has further strengthened these efforts this year, with more than 21,000 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines purchased for stubble management. These include 14,274 Super Seeders, which have emerged as the most popular machines among farmers, along with Mulchers, MB Ploughs and Baling Machines. Punjab ranks among the leading states in the country in the use of agricultural machinery.”

The AAP Punjab Media In-charge added, “Farmers are increasingly taking advantage of government subsidies ranging from 50% to 80% to purchase these machines. Many farmers and private operators are also renting out machinery, making it accessible to more cultivators. Across major highways connecting Zirakpur to Bathinda, Chandigarh to Ludhiana, Mohali to Sirhind and on the Amritsar highway, large quantities of paddy stubble can be seen collected and compressed into bales. These bales are being transported to industries and used as raw material rather than being burnt in fields.”

Baltej Singh Pannu further stated, “A growing network of private players, farmers and industrial projects has created economic value for paddy stubble. Projects are using it to manufacture CNG, cardboard and other industrial products. The Vayu project on the Patiala-Sirhind road, for instance, is collecting stubble from nearly 250 villages for CNG production. With industries increasingly using stubble as an alternative to expensive coal, farmers now have an economic incentive to preserve and sell it instead of burning it.”

Taking a direct dig at Delhi BJP Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Baltej Pannu asserted, “BJP leaders must first examine the facts before holding Punjab responsible for Delhi’s pollution. I challenge them to travel from Delhi through Haryana into Punjab and compare the Air Quality Index (AQI) at different locations. The AQI figures cited during this press conference show that Delhi’s AQI was around 350+, Haryana’s was between 250 and 300, while Punjab’s was around 125. How can Punjab be blamed for Delhi’s pollution when the pollution levels in the two states along the route are already significantly higher?”

He further questioned, “Why is Haryana, despite having fewer stubble-management machines than Punjab, not being subjected to the same scrutiny? Travelling from Punjab to Delhi takes at least four to five hours by road. The simplistic claim that smoke from Punjab directly reaches Delhi is an attempt to mislead people rather than an evidence-based explanation.”

The AAP Punjab Media In-charge emphasised, “Punjab’s farmers are progressive and increasingly aware that burning stubble harms their own families and communities first. We acknowledge the efforts of farmers, private machinery operators and organisations such as the team led by Dr Sidhu in the Raikot region, which has been working on stubble management for years. These collective efforts, supported by government subsidies and infrastructure, have brought a visible change on the ground.”

Baltej Pannu recalled, “CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had asked the Centre to share the financial burden by providing compensation to farmers, with the state government ready to contribute its share. However, the Centre refused to provide the necessary support. Despite this, the Bhagwant Mann government continued to invest in machinery and subsidies and strengthened the infrastructure for collecting and utilising paddy residue.”

He added, “The AAP government is not claiming that stubble burning has been eliminated completely, but the 80% reduction recorded last year in Parliament is proof of the progress made. The government is working to bring stubble-burning incidents under control beyond 90% this year.”

Expressing solidarity with Delhi residents struggling with severe pollution, Baltej Pannu stated, “Their suffering must not be exploited to malign Punjab’s farmers for political mileage. I once again invite Delhi Minister Sirsa and other BJP leaders to visit Punjab, inspect the stubble-management work themselves and check AQI levels in its cities instead of running a politically motivated campaign against the state.”

The AAP Punjab Media In-charge concluded by stating, “The work Punjab has done on stubble management is visible on the ground. Wherever you travel, you will see bales of collected stubble, not the imaginary picture BJP leaders are trying to paint. Instead of scapegoating Punjab’s farmers, BJP leaders must answer for their own government’s failure to control pollution in Delhi.”