No scientific study links Punjab farm fire for Delhi’s pollution: Green Tribunal judge
PTC News Desk: The burning of paddy stubble in Punjab may have a regional impact in the state, but there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that smoke from farm fires in the border state contributes to air pollution in Delhi, according to National Green Tribunal member Justice Sudhir Agarwal. Justice Sudhir Agarwal questioned how smoke could only travel to the national capital and not further.
He also called the move to impose fines and arrest only farmers for stubble burning a 'grave injustice'. "It's beyond my comprehension to hold farmers responsible for everything. Prosecuting, fining, and arresting farmers solely for stubble burning would be a grave injustice," he said.
On July 1, Justice Agarwal spoke at the 'Conference on Environment-Friendly Paddy Cultivation' and 'Savior of Natural Resources and Environment Award', both held in the national capital. The event was organised to "felicitate and facilitate" water, air, and earth-friendly paddy cultivation.
Justice Agarwal shared his experiences as a member of the NGT, stating that stubble burning was frequently cited as the primary cause of Delhi's rising air pollution.
"I was told that a significant portion of Delhi's pollution comes from the burning of stubble (parali) in Punjab. However, after further investigation, I found that giving full responsibility to farmers may not be justified unless there are compelling reasons. Is there any scientific evidence to support this?" he inquired.
He stated that Punjab is not even an immediate neighbour of Delhi, which shares borders with Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Punjab is located to the north of Delhi.
"Currently, there is a lot of talk about Punjab's stubble. It appears that smoke from stubble burning is intent on reaching the national capital and, after polluting it, does not disperse beyond Delhi," he stated.
"If this smoke does reach Delhi, it would require a predominantly north-south wind direction, which is not always the case, according to IMD. When the wind isn't blowing in this direction, how does this heavy smoke get here? Wind velocity is required for smoke to travel, but the wind in Delhi does not extend to Ghaziabad, which is adjacent to the national capital," he said.
"If Punjab's stubble smoke travels hundreds of kilometres to Delhi, it should carry heavy particles with it. However, Delhi's pollution reports indicate a higher oil content, whereas stubble is dry. Where does the oil content in Delhi's pollution come from? While there may be some impact, he questioned why Punjab's stubble smoke does not travel to Pakistan when winds blow in other directions," he added.
"Blaming farmers for Delhi's air pollution is unfair and may have political motivations. The real reason for Delhi’s air pollution is something else," he said.
- PTC NEWS
