📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Amitabhilash
Politics
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann slams BJP-led Centre for silence on Haryana's stubble burning
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 14 Nov 2026, 01:01 AM
👁 20
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the BJP‑led central government for not addressing the recurring stubble‑burning problem in neighbouring Haryana, calling the silence unacceptable.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised his voice against the Union government on Tuesday, questioning why the BJP‑led Centre remains silent while Haryana grapples with severe stubble‑burning episodes each winter. Mann, speaking at a press briefing in Chandigarh, highlighted the adverse impact of the smoke on air quality across the region, including Punjab, and urged immediate intervention.
He pointed out that the recurring practice of burning crop residues in Haryana not only violates environmental norms but also exacerbates health hazards for millions of residents in the National Capital Region. Mann demanded that the central authorities enforce existing regulations and provide viable alternatives to farmers for residue management.
The CM also called for a coordinated effort between the two state governments and the Centre to mitigate the crisis, suggesting that financial incentives and technical support could encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices. He warned that continued inaction could strain inter‑state relations and damage the broader goal of improving India’s air quality.
While the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has previously issued guidelines on stubble management, Mann's remarks underscore growing political pressure on the central government to translate policy into on‑ground action.
The issue comes ahead of the upcoming winter season, when stubble burning typically peaks, raising concerns among health officials and environmentalists about a potential surge in particulate matter levels across northern India.
He pointed out that the recurring practice of burning crop residues in Haryana not only violates environmental norms but also exacerbates health hazards for millions of residents in the National Capital Region. Mann demanded that the central authorities enforce existing regulations and provide viable alternatives to farmers for residue management.
The CM also called for a coordinated effort between the two state governments and the Centre to mitigate the crisis, suggesting that financial incentives and technical support could encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices. He warned that continued inaction could strain inter‑state relations and damage the broader goal of improving India’s air quality.
While the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has previously issued guidelines on stubble management, Mann's remarks underscore growing political pressure on the central government to translate policy into on‑ground action.
The issue comes ahead of the upcoming winter season, when stubble burning typically peaks, raising concerns among health officials and environmentalists about a potential surge in particulate matter levels across northern India.