Delhi pollution: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday slammed the Punjab government for turning Delhi into a gas chamber saying the state has seen 19 per cent rise in farm fires over 2021.
"Punjab has seen an over 19 per cent rise in farm fires over 2021. Haryana has seen a 30.6 per cent drop... There is no doubt over who has turned Delhi into a gas chamber. Scam is where AAP is... about Rs 492 crore was available but the state government chose to sit with funds."
"Sample this: As of today, Punjab, a state run by the AAP government, has seen an over 19 per cent rise in farm fires over 2021. Haryana has seen a 30.6 per cent drop. Scam is where AAP is. In the last 5 years, the Central government gave Rs 1,347 crore for crop residue management machines to Punjab. The state bought 1,20,000 machines. 11,275 of those machines have gone missing. Money utilisation shows clear incompetence...," Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav tweeted.
"Last year, Rs 212 crore were left unspent. This year, the Central government gave Punjab Rs 280 crore for crop residue management machines. So about Rs 492 crore was available but the state government chose to sit with the funds forcing helpless farmers to burn the crop residue," Union MInister said.
"The Chief Minister of Punjab has failed to even provide relief to farmers in his own turf of Sangrur. Last year (Sept 15-Nov 2) farm fires in Sangrur stood at 1,266. This year they have shot up by 139 per cent rising to 3,025," he added.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also made a statement saying, "Punjab CM tries to find politics in everything... #StubbleBurning in Haryana reduced by 25% to 2,249 cases, compared to last year. Punjab has seen a 20% hike with 21,500 cases... We give Rs 1000/acre to farmers to not burn stubble, 50 per cent subsidy on apparatus."
Responding to BJP's criticism, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said, "We gave recommendations to the Centre but they didn't pay heed to them. Why are questions being raised only about Delhi & Punjab? Several cities of Haryana and Rajasthan are also reporting poor AQI, why isn't the Centre raising questions on these states?"
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