CM seeks timeline to end crop burning in neighbouring states
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday demanded that the Centre and the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to come up with “specific timelines” to end stubble burning in the two states which, he said, contributes to air pollution in Delhi during winter.
Earlier in the day, while distributing anti-pollution masks to children in a government school in the city, the chief minister had urged the students to write letters to the Haryana chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Punjab chief minister, Amarinder Singh, asking them to help farmers in their states and stop stubble burning.
“We, the people of Delhi, now demand specific timelines from the Centre, from the Khattar government and Captain’s (Singh’s) government. They must tell us how and by when they will put a stop to stubble burning in their states,” said Kejriwal in a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat on Friday.
“We want milestones to be communicated to the people of Delhi, we demand accountability on their part. They (Centre and the state governments of Haryana and Punjab) have to tell us how and by when will they be done distributing adequate technology to farmers to stop stubble burning,” Kejriwal said.
He said, “Opposition parties should stop blaming residents of Delhi for the alarming air pollution levels in the city. They should rather introspect what they have done on their part to control air pollution in Delhi. Delhi residents actively participated in the anti-dengue campaign, odd-even scheme and antifirecracker drive during Diwali. They are capable of much more.”
On October 31, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had staged a demonstration in Mandi House, protesting stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress had criticised the Delhi government, alleging that they were trying to pass the burden to neighbouring states, for allegedly failing to have controlled local pollution in Delhi.
Earlier in the day, while addressing school students, he had said, “We have worked hard to reduce the pollution levels in Delhi in the last five years. We have managed to reduce the pollution level by 25% in Delhi while other states have witnessed an increase. Now, you have to write letters to Khattar Uncle (Manohar Lal Khattar) and Captain Uncle (Amarinder Singh) requesting them to take care of our health and give machines to their farmers for stubble burning.”