Union Minister: Ridiculous to Blame Panjab Farmers for Delhi’s Air Pollution

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has dismissed claims that Panjab farmers are responsible for Delhi’s pollution, calling it ‘ridiculous’ to suggest stubble burning travels 500 km through high-rises and lands solely in the capital. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa concurred, noting local vehicle emissions and construction contribute heavily to city smog. Goyal’s stance may help ease tensions with Panjab’s farming community, which has long borne the blame for Delhi’s haze. In the past, Panjab has repeatedly been blamed for Delhi’s pollution over the years, despite studies proving there to be little link between stubble burning affecting Delhi, with the major cause of pollution coming from vehicles and thermal plants. The timing of the statement by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders is important because the union government is due to meet Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) on 19 Mar to discuss Minimum Support Price and other farmer demands. However, questions remain on ‘red entries’ which are notations made in farmer land documents that they have been caught engaging in stubble burning which results in restrictions on accessing govt. benefits or selling their crops in the market, often used as a punitive measure to deter such practices. Meanwhile, Panjab faces major agricultural challenges, notably the steep decline in cotton cultivation since 2021–22, hitting just 95K hectares in 2024—down from 252K hectares in 2021. State Agriculture Director Jaswant Singh aims to boost acreage to 150K hectares by 2025–26, promising subsidies for seeds and improvements in canal irrigation. Some farmers have switched to water-intensive rice due to pest attacks and rising costs. Farmers have also turned to spring maize after harvesting potatoes, though black market prices are hovering around USD 40 instead of USD 29 for four kilograms of seeds.