No study linking Punjab farm fires to Delhi air pollution: NGT member

NEW DELHI: There has been no scientific study to back the claim that farm fires in Punjab contribute to air pollution in Delhi, NGT member Justice Sudhir Agarwal has said and deprecated imposing fines and jailing farmers of the state over stubble burning, calling it “grave injustice”.

The statement of a sitting judicial member of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) assumes significance as in most judicial proceedings and public discourses paddy crop residue burning in the neighbouring states, especially Punjab, has been blamed for Delhi’s worsening air pollution.

Observing that curbing air pollution in Delhi is the shared responsibility of all, Justice Agarwal said, “Prosecuting, fining and jailing the farmers only (for stubble burning) will be grave injustice”.

Justice Agarwal was speaking at the ‘Conference on Environment Friendly Paddy Cultivation’ and ‘Savior of Natural Resources and Environment Award’ held in the national capital on July 1. The event was organised to “felicitate an facilitate” water friendly, air friendly, earth friendly paddy cultivation.

Justice Agarwal, sharing his NGT experience, questioned the blame placed on farmers for Delhi’s rising air pollution, emphasizing the unlikelihood of Punjab’s stubble burning affecting Delhi due to geographic and wind factors. He noted the lack of scientific evidence supporting this claim and pointed out that Delhi’s air pollution has other causes, suggesting political motives behind blaming farmers.

Senior advocate H S Phoolka discussed two approaches to address water table decline: diversification, which has failed due to lack of viable alternatives, and eco-friendly paddy cultivation, which he supports.