The FIRMS data of NASA has indicated that there have been no severe cases of stubble burning activities in the state of Haryana. Instead, the map indicates several fire incidents in Congress-ruled Punjab, which is one of the main reasons for the sustained pollution in Delhi.
This despite the fact that Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh had announced fines to farmers for violating rules and burning the stubble. In fact, he had also said that putting the blame on his state for the toxic air across the land-locked North India would be incorrect.
Capt Amarinder had instead blamed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and accused the latter of playing politics. He had also termed the ‘anti-farmer’ steps he had to take, like fining them for burning stubble, as being ‘against his conscience’.
Meanwhile, the massive reduction in fire incidents from Haryana comes after Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar had taken several initiatives to combat air pollution menace in the region. To fight the menace of air pollution caused especially by stubble burning, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday had announced cash incentives for those reporting such incidents and directed officials to encourage farmers to opt alternatives.
Delhi has been reeling under the toxic air since a few days because of the poisonous gas emanating from the stubble burning coupled with pollution. This has led to severe health crisis and state government has declared holidays in schools.