The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab responded to today's statement of the Supreme Court and said that the Mann government is constantly taking steps to stop stubble burning in the state. AAP said that the Supreme Court has hinted that only Punjab farmers are not responsible for the dire pollution situation of Delhi as the hon'ble court has also asked the governments of UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Central Government to take necessary measures to curb this problem.
Addressing a press conference at the party office in Chandigarh on Tuesday, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang, along with party spokespersons Jagtar Singh Sanghera, Ahbaab Grewal and Babbi Badal, said that Punjab government is already very serious about the matters of Punjab's air, water and environment.
He said that since the formation of our government in Punjab, the Mann government is constantly taking steps to curb the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, their efforts are even showing results as cases of stubble burning have significantly decreased this year.Kang said that stubble burning has been a compulsion of farmers but our government provided alternatives as biofuel factories which buy paddy stubble from farmers.
It helps farmers as they don't have to burn the stubble and they get good money for it too.Kang said that only farmers are not responsible for the pollution that Delhi is facing today, so the central government must own up to its responsibility and take steps to curb all kinds of pollution in the national capital.
Kang added that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have asked the Haryana government and the Modi government to set up a fund to tackle this problem but the centre government refused our proposal. Now the Supreme Court has directed all governments including the central government to take measures to stop stubble burning and curb the pollution in Delhi.
Kang added that to save Punjab's air, water and soil, the Mann government ensured that paddy is sowed in 4 phases in Punjab and we are constantly encouraging crop diversification by giving MSP on Moongi, clearing dues of sugarcane farmers etc.
He added that Punjabis don't consume rice but during the green revolution Punjab came through to fill the granaries of our country so now it is the turn of the Central Government to come to an aid to the farmers of Punjab. Kang said that the Modi government should immediately give Punjab a special financial package to promote crop diversification here.
MSP of other crops like cotton, corn, citrus fruits and lentils should be ensured so that farmers have other options besides paddy and wheat. The Central Government should also set up a much needed fund to tackle this issue.