Sirsa Blames Unchecked Punjab Farm Fires for Toxic Smog Crisis

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-11-05 18:00:00

Launching a sharp political offensive over northern India's deteriorating air emergency, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration in Punjab of misleading citizens while failing to contain extensive stubble burning across rural districts. Addressing a media briefing in the national capital, Sirsa presented meteorological and air-quality records showing that Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at an encouraging 60 on October 30, only to deteriorate rapidly to roughly 350 within a span of four days as north-westerly winds transported dense agricultural smoke into the landlocked National Capital Region. The Minister dismissed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's statements suggesting paddy harvesting had barely commenced, countering that state government records confirm over 77 percent of paddy fields are already harvested, with a seasonal peak of 584 farm fires recorded on November 3 alone—nearly double the 292 incidents reported on November 4 of the previous year.

2,196 Incidents and 494 FIRs: Underreporting Alleged as CAQM Summons Punjab Officials

Citing verification numbers compiled from the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Sirsa revealed that Punjab has logged 2,196 crop residue burning incidents this season, resulting in 494 First Information Reports (FIRs). He claimed that the ground reality contradicts claims of a 90 percent decline in stubble burning, alleging systematic underreporting by state administrative bodies. He pointed out that while the central government disbursed ₹5,000 crore to subsidize farm machinery like Happy Seeders, Super Seeders, and Balers, the state failed to distribute adequate equipment to smallholder farmers. While field cultivators face police complaints, Sirsa argued that administrative officers responsible for prevention have largely escaped scrutiny, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to summon deputy commissioners and senior police superintendents from several non-compliant Punjab districts on November 4.

Clean Capital Days vs Border Inflow: Non-BS-6 Ban Imposed to Protect Public Health

Sirsa defended Delhi's internal environmental measures, stating that local mitigation efforts allowed the capital to record 220 clean or moderate air days earlier in the year without sudden spikes from construction or manufacturing hubs. He noted that changing wind patterns associated with a Western Disturbance carried concentrated smoke plumes into the capital bowl, leaving city authorities no choice but to enforce emergency measures, including banning vehicles below the BS-6 emission benchmark from entering Delhi. While expressing regret over commuting disruptions experienced by travelers from neighboring NCR districts, Sirsa underlined that traffic restrictions are critical for shielding vulnerable residents from hazardous particulate levels, while the Punjab administration had not issued an official response to the allegations at the time of reporting.

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