Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ruled out a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the issue of air pollution, resulting from stubble burning.
Responding to Mr. Kejriwal’s tweet, regarding seeking time for a meeting with him, Capt. Amarinder said, “I fail to understand why the Delhi Chief Minister was trying to force his hand, knowing well that any such discussion would be meaningless and futile.
“Mr. Kejriwal’s tendency to indulge in petty street politics was well-known,” said Capt. Amarinder, adding that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was trying to divert public attention from his own government’s failure in Delhi to check the problem of pollution, as exposed by the response of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to the odd-even scheme .
Capt. Amarinder said the problems faced by Delhi and Punjab on this count were completely divergent, with no meeting ground.
“Unlike Punjab, the Delhi problem was the result mainly of urban pollution caused by mismanaged transportation and unplanned industrial development. Instead of focusing all his attention on resolving these issues, Mr. Kejriwal wanted to waste time holding useless discussions,” said Capt. Amarinder.
Capt. Amarinder said as far as stubble burning was concerned, it was not a political issue that Mr. Kejriwal was trying to project it as, but an economic problem crying for economic solutions, which the Central Government alone is in a position to provide.
“I would continue to pursue with the Centre the matter of compensatory allowance for farmers to enable them to opt for alternatives to the dangerous practice of stubble burning,” he added.
