Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Congress MP from Chandigarh Manish Tewari has questioned the repeated attempts to hold Punjab's farmers responsible for Delhi's worsening air pollution, saying they cannot be made scapegoats every year.
In a post on social media platform X, Tewari cited Chandigarh's Air Quality Index (AQI) to challenge the argument that stubble burning in Punjab is the primary reason behind Delhi's deteriorating air quality. He also urged the Centre and Delhi government to accept their responsibility and find a permanent solution to the pollution crisis.
Tewari pointed out that Chandigarh is located between Punjab and Haryana, yet its AQI was recorded at just 72 on Chhoti Diwali. Questioning the logic behind blaming Punjab's stubble burning for Delhi's pollution, he asked how Chandigarh could have relatively clean air if smoke from crop residue burning was travelling from Punjab.
Taking a dig at the prevailing north-westerly wind patterns often cited in discussions about pollution, the Congress MP remarked sarcastically that there was no need to explain how stubble smoke supposedly bypasses Chandigarh and reaches Delhi directly.
He said it was not appropriate to put the entire blame for Delhi's pollution on Punjab's farmers while overlooking the responsibility of the governments concerned.
Tewari further highlighted that nearly 85 per cent of paddy harvesting in Punjab had been completed by the end of October 2026. He described the recurring deterioration in Delhi's air quality during November and December as a major public health crisis.
According to the Congress MP, Delhi has been facing the problem of severe air pollution every year for more than a decade. He questioned why a lasting solution had not been found despite the recurring crisis.
Tewari said the Centre and the Delhi government must acknowledge their responsibility and take concrete steps to address the problem. He maintained that governments cannot escape accountability by repeatedly shifting the blame onto Punjab's farming community.
