Delhi CM slams Arvind Kejriwal for hollow promise to check stubble burning in Punjab

New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday hit out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal for betraying Punjab farmers and not offering any solution to stubble burning that adds to air pollution in north India during winter.

Taking to his official X account, the Delhi Chief Minister shared a video of stubble burning in Punjab's Tarn Taran and reminded Kejriwal of his promise to resolved the problem that adds to air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR).

She accused Kejriwal, a former Delhi Chief Minister himself, of lack of intent and willpower to find a collective solution with Punjab farmers, despite the Centre providing resources for the purpose.

In her message on X, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "Kejriwal ji had said, give me one year, and I'll stop the burning of stubble in Punjab. Years passed by. Farmers kept waiting for help, and the 'AAP'da government, instead of freeing them from the compulsion to burn stubble, just left them to fend for themselves."

"Stubble burning has started again in Tarn Taran. The Central government provided funds, gave machines, offered subsidies, yet Bhagwant Mann ji and Kejriwal ji's 'AAP'da government couldn't even manage arrangements on the ground," she added.

"Resources were fully provided, but intent, willpower, and accountability — all three have failed. The people of Delhi have rejected Kejriwal ji. Is he now venting the frustration of that crushing defeat on the people of Delhi?" CM Gupta asked.

Highlighting that efforts are being made in the NCR to curb air pollution, the Delhi CM said, "We are working day and night to roll out new solutions on the ground to clean up Delhi's air. Meanwhile, in Punjab, the fire from stubble burning has exposed the 'AAP'da government's true colours. No preparation, no solutions. Just false promises and betrayal of the farmers."

Earlier, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has deployed of flying squads in 18 districts across Punjab to monitor stubble burning, a statement said.

The deployment, from October 1 to November 30, has been structured in successive phases, with flying squads assigned to respective districts for different deployment periods to ensure sustained field-level monitoring throughout the paddy harvesting season 2026, it added.

The deployment of flying squads in Punjab covers key paddy-producing districts, including Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Muktsar, Bathinda, Amritsar, Moga, Mansa, Fazilka, Patiala, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Barnala, Malerkotla, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib, it said.

The teams will coordinate with farmers, Parali Protection Force, district-level authorities, state government nodal officers, officers of the respective State Pollution Control Boards, the CAQM Cell at SAS Nagar and the Commission, the statement said.

--IANS

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