Sirsa accuses AAP of misrepresenting Punjab stubble-burning data
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that the Punjab government is filing FIRs against farmers despite claims of no farm fires.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab on Tuesday of providing false information regarding stubble burning in the state, according to reports by Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express.
Sirsa alleged that while AAP leaders claim there have been no farm fire incidents this year, 271 FIRs have actually been registered against farmers across various Punjab districts. He stated that there are more than 1,000 known stubble-burning cases.
The minister further claimed the Punjab government spent between Rs 20-25 crore on advertisements to suggest that no stubble burning occurred in the state this year. He also accused AAP leaders of misleading the public regarding how Punjab's stubble burning affects pollution in Delhi.
Sirsa alleged that AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal is seeking "revenge on Delhi" because the party is uncomfortable with air quality improvements under the BJP government. He noted that Delhi has recorded 220 clean-air days so far this year.
The minister stated that the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is approximately 10 per cent lower than levels in previous years. There was no immediate response from the AAP to these allegations.