Air pollution: Punjab CM Badal refutes Kejriwal's allegations

Mukhtsar (Punjab) [India], Nov. 6 (ANI): Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday rubbished his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal's accusations that pollution in the national capital was primarily due to stubble burning in Punjab and said that farmers in his state have been provided with better farm equipments which help them in cutting crops in a better way. "We have asked them several times not to burn the stubble. We have also given them machines, which can help in cutting of crops in a better way but they do some or the other mistake," Badal told the media. Earlier on Saturday, Kejriwal primarily blamed stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana for the rising air pollution and sought the Centre's intervention to tackle the same. "Pollution has increased to an extent that Delhi resembles a gas chamber. Prima facie the biggest reason seems to be burning of stubble in agricultural fields in Haryana and Punjab in huge quantity," Kejriwal told a press conference. Kejriwal has called for an emergency meeting this afternoon to take stock of the recent measures announced to combat the soaring pollution-level in the national capital. Technologies like jet sprinkling and the dust sweep machine will be discussed at length during the meeting to be held at Kejriwal's residence. This development comes in the wake of the Centre calling a meeting of Environment Ministers of all neighbouring states on Monday to put an end to crop burning as Delhi's pollution rises to alarming level. Kejriwal had met Union Environment Minister Anil Dave yesterday and sought the Centre's intervention following which the latter declared an emergency in Delhi. This development comes in the wake of the Centre calling a meeting of Environment Ministers of all neighbouring states on Monday to put an end to crop burning as Delhi's pollution rises to alarming level. (ANI)