*Stubble burning on the rise nationwide; BJP-led Central Govt ignoring escalating health crisis: CM Atishi
*Elderly struggling to breathe; young children forced to rely on steroids and inhalers due to pollution: CM Atishi
*Over last 6-7 years, incidents of stubble burning have increased in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, BJP-led Central Government has done nothing to stop it: CM Atishi
*BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh tops stubble burning cases; 9,600 from Sept 15 to Nov 17— Hazardous air quality grips cities
*Punjab is the only state where stubble burning incidents have decreased—from 73,300 in 2021 to 8,404 in 2024
*CM Atishi poses questions before the BJP-led central government:
*- If Punjab can reduce stubble-burning incidents by 80%, why can’t other states do the same? Why has North India been pushed towards a medical emergency?
*- Why is central government playing politics instead of taking action against stubble burning?
*- Why hasn’t central government implemented measures to prevent stubble burning?
*BJP-led central government should stop playing politics and take responsibility by addressing stubble-burning incidents: CM Atishi
NEW DELHI : 18th November 2024-The escalating pollution caused by stubble burning across northern India has made breathing difficult for residents. Children and the elderly are particularly affected, with many requiring medical assistance. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Atishi criticised the BJP-led central government for its inaction, stating:
"Incidents of stubble burning are increasing across the country, but the BJP-led central government continues to sit idle. Pollution has reached such dangerous levels that elderly citizens are unable to breathe, and young children are being forced to rely on inhalers and steroids."
She highlighted how stubble-burning incidents have surged in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh over the past 6–7 years. “While the BJP-ruled states are witnessing an alarming rise in stubble-burning cases, Punjab stands as the sole exception. In Punjab, stubble-burning incidents have been reduced by 80%, from 73,300 in 2021 to 8,404 in 2024,” she added.
CM Atishi also pointed out that Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of stubble-burning cases, recording 9,600 incidents between September 15 and November 17. “This has pushed air quality in its cities to hazardous levels,” she stated.
Chief Minister Atishi posed direct questions to the Central Government:
“If the Punjab Government can reduce stubble-burning incidents by 80%, why can’t other states? Why is North India being pushed into a medical emergency? Why is the BJP-led Central Government merely playing politics over this issue without taking any concrete steps to prevent stubble burning?”
She urged, "The BJP-led central government must stop politicizing this issue and take immediate responsibility by reducing stubble-burning incidents."
Chief Minister Atishi stated, "The people of Delhi are in great distress. My people in Delhi are struggling to breathe. I received phone calls throughout last night. Some needed to admit their elderly parents to hospitals due to breathing difficulties, while others had to rush to get asthma inhalers for their young children late at night."
She further added, "Elderly people are unable to breathe due to pollution and are being hospitalized. Children are finding it hard to breathe and are requiring asthma inhalers and steroids. This is happening because stubble is being burned across the country. States like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are all witnessing stubble burning, and the central government is sitting idle."
CM Atishi warned, "Today, the entire North India has been pushed into a medical emergency. Be it Delhi, Chandigarh, Bikaner in Rajasthan, Bhopal, Patna, or Lucknow—air quality across the region is severely poor and in the hazardous category."
Citing data from the Central Pollution Control Board, she said, "The central government's own agency releases daily data on air pollution. According to data till 7 PM yesterday, the air quality index (AQI) across northern India is extremely poor. For instance, the AQI in Bahadurgarh is 445, Ballabhgarh is 301, Bhiwani is 415, Bikaner is 403, Churu is 375, Bulandshahr is 310, Ghaziabad-Greater Noida is 362, Hajipur is 367, Hapur is 351, and Hisar is 365. Every city in northern India is suffering from terrible air quality, and people across the country are struggling to breathe."
Talking about stubble burning incidents, she stated, "Incidents of stubble burning are rising in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, while the central government remains inactive."
She emphasized, "If there is one state that has successfully reduced stubble burning incidents, it is Punjab. Data shows that Punjab reduced such cases from 73,300 in 2021 to 36,650 last year, and this year, with 90% of the season over, the number stands at just 8,404."
In contrast, she said, "In Uttar Pradesh, incidents of stubble burning have increased by 60% compared to last year—from 1,533 to 1,926. Rajasthan has also seen a rise, with cases jumping from just 430 in 2020 to 1,926 this year. The highest number of incidents this year has been reported from Madhya Pradesh, where 9,600 stubble burning cases were recorded between September 15 and November 17—over 700 cases per day. As a result, air quality in Madhya Pradesh's cities has also deteriorated to severe levels."
CM Atishi questioned, "I want to ask the central government: for the past 6-7 years, incidents of stubble burning have been increasing across states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Can the central government point to a single step it has taken to reduce these incidents?"
She further added, "If Punjab's government can reduce stubble burning by 80%, why are incidents rising in other states? Why has the entire northern region of India been pushed into a medical emergency? Visit any hospital in Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, or Bihar, and you will find elderly people and children admitted because they cannot breathe."
Accusing the central government of inaction, CM Atishi said, "Why is the central government indulging in politics on this issue? Why hasn’t it taken any concrete steps to curb stubble burning? I appeal to the BJP-led central government to act. The smoke from stubble burning does not recognize state borders or political affiliations. Elderly people and children in every state—whether governed by the Aam Aadmi Party or the BJP—are struggling to breathe."
She concluded, "It is the central government’s responsibility to address the medical emergency caused by stubble burning across the country. The BJP should stop playing politics and take immediate steps to reduce stubble burning incidents in all northern states."
On her X (erstwhile Twitter) handle, CM Atishi wrote: “All of North India has been plunged into a medical emergency as stubble burning continues unchecked across the country. All cities across the country - in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP and Delhi - are reeling under severe levels of pollution.
And yet despite the rising severity of stubble burning across India over the last 5 years, the Central Govt has taken no concrete steps to curb it. All of North India is paying the price for this, especially children and the elderly, who are struggling to breathe…”