Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
AAP Punjab President and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Tuesday challenged the BJP to explain how smoke from Punjab's stubble burning could reach Delhi in just 20 minutes, accusing the party of running a campaign to malign the state's farmers instead of addressing the actual sources of pollution in the national capital.
Citing data from central research institutions, Arora said stubble burning contributed only 5% to Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on November 9. He highlighted that Punjab had achieved a nearly 95% reduction in stubble-burning incidents compared to 2020, crediting farmers' cooperation and the sustained efforts of the Bhagwant Mann government.
According to data from the CREAMS laboratory of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Punjab recorded 83,002 stubble-burning incidents in 2020, which declined to 5,114 in 2025. The number has further fallen to 4,657 so far this season.
Arora said the remarkable reduction had been possible because farmers had wholeheartedly cooperated with the government, which provided them with practical alternatives, machinery and necessary resources for scientific crop residue management.
Referring to data from SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), he said stubble smoke accounted for 7.8% of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on November 8, the day of Diwali, before declining to just 5% on November 9. Its average contribution during the season remained between 4% and 5%, excluding two days.
Citing research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), studies by Kulkarni and co-authors, and reports from the Decision Support System (DSS), Arora said scientific evidence clearly highlighted the significant contribution of local sources to Delhi's pollution.
He questioned why BJP leaders were ignoring these findings and repeatedly targeting Punjab's farmers for the pollution crisis.
Over 1.62 Lakh Crop Residue Management Machines Provided
Highlighting the state government's efforts to eliminate stubble burning, Arora said more than 1.62 lakh crop residue management machines had been provided at subsidised rates to farmers, panchayats, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Custom Hiring Centres since 2022. Of these, 25,917 machines had been provided during the current year alone.
He said the Bhagwant Mann government was working towards the scientific management of approximately 1.14 crore tonnes of stubble in the fields and 78 lakh tonnes outside the fields.
Sharing details of initiatives undertaken through the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), Arora said 83 stubble-fired industrial boilers were operational, while another 16 were being installed. Similarly, 78 stubble pellet projects were operational, with 69 more at different stages of development.
He added that 11 biomass power plants and nine compressed biogas (CBG) plants were operational, while Letters of Intent had been issued for another 44 CBG projects.
Arora said these initiatives were transforming agricultural residue into an economic resource and creating a sustainable ecosystem benefiting farmers, industries and the environment.
Aman Arora Demands Unconditional Apology from BJP
Taking on BJP leaders Kapil Mishra and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Arora termed their remarks against Punjab's farmers baseless and challenged Punjab BJP leaders Sunil Jakhar and Kewal Singh Dhillon to publicly clarify their position.
Questioning the need for drone surveillance when satellite technology was already being used to monitor farm fires, he asked whether the objective was to find scientific solutions or intimidate farmers.
Arora asserted that Punjab's farmers had made tremendous efforts to reduce stubble burning and deserved appreciation rather than criticism. He demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP for allegedly maligning the farming community.
Seeks Immediate Enhancement of CCL for Paddy Procurement
On paddy procurement, Arora reiterated that the Bhagwant Mann government was committed to purchasing every single grain of paddy from farmers and ensuring adequate storage arrangements.
He said the Centre-approved Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of approximately ₹40,000 crore had been fully utilised and demanded its immediate enhancement in view of the bumper paddy production this year.
According to Arora, favourable weather conditions and the availability of canal water, including at the tail ends of Punjab's irrigation network, had contributed to the higher production.
He said the state government had urged the Centre to increase the CCL immediately to ensure that procurement operations and payments to farmers continued without interruption.
Arora further said strict surveillance was being maintained along Punjab's borders to prevent the illegal entry of paddy from neighbouring states and protect the interests of local farmers.
1984 Sikh Massacre Remains a Deep Wound: Aman Arora
Responding to questions from reporters about Punjab's history, Arora said the military assault on Sri Darbar Sahib and the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre remained painful chapters in the history of Punjab and the Sikh community.
He accused the Congress of failing to take the necessary steps to support families affected by the massacre, adding that their pain and suffering could never be forgotten.
Commenting on former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's cycle yatra, Arora said internal divisions within the Congress would prevent the exercise from making any meaningful difference to the party's political fortunes.
