Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently advocated for a collaborative approach to tackle the air pollution issue, urging against a ‘blame game’ among states. His remarks came in response to criticism from Pakistan Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who claimed that smog from India’s Punjab, was affecting Lahore. Mann humorously noted that with Delhi also alleging that Punjab’s pollution affects its air quality, it seems as if Punjab’s pollution is somehow circulating in a loop.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann responds to Pakistan Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif on the stubble pollution issue. CM Mann said, “Pakistan Punjab CM is saying our smog is reaching Lahore, Delhi says it’s reaching there too—seems our pollution is making a circle and going round. pic.twitter.com/WnoTE4LFra
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) November 13, 2024
Stubble burning is a well-known issue in Punjab and Haryana after the paddy harvest in October and November. To quickly prepare their fields for the Rabi season and plant wheat, farmers often burn crop residue, which releases large amounts of smoke and contributes significantly to air pollution in northern India, including Delhi.
The proximity between the harvesting of paddy and the sowing of the next crop puts farmers under pressure, leading to widespread stubble burning as an efficient yet environmentally harmful solution.
Joint Effort Can Bring Solution: Punjab CM
Addressing the blame directed at Punjab for air pollution, Mann pointed out that states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana also contribute to this problem, emphasizing that only a joint effort among states can yield a lasting solution.
Speaking at an event, he stressed the need for crop diversification as a sustainable alternative, suggesting that farmers be encouraged to shift from water-intensive paddy to other crops, such as maize, millet and lentils. However, he stressed that this shift would only be practical if farmers could earn as much from these alternative crops as they currently do from paddy, as reported by PTI.
“We need to ensure that the income per acre from these other crops matches that of paddy,” Mann said, adding that paddy isn’t even a staple food in Punjab, highlighting the economic rather than cultural motivation for its extensive cultivation.
