Both central and state officials have confirmed that while the situation is a shade better in Punjab where some farmers are cooperating, those in other neighboring states are refusing to obey instructions. It is specially true of small and marginal farmers who argue that they cannot afford any other method of avoiding stubble burning because of expenses involved. The government subsidy, they reportedly argue, only helps big farmers. The Delhi government says it is the Centre’s responsibility to meet the demands of the farmers outside its territory. The Centre , on its part, seeks to put the blame on respective state governments for failure to restrain farmers.

This raises serious question as to why the authorities are unable to satisfy small and marginal farmers who anyway constitute the majority and without whose cooperation and support all efforts to contain pollution will go waste. Pollution in the national capital has touched alarming proportions affecting all. Hospitals have been reporting increasing number of cases related to pollution. Schools have had to be closed for varying periods in the past year owing to serious pollution.

As usual, paucity of funds is sited as reason why farmers demands cannot be met. They are demanding money to destroy stubbles through means other than burning. Why cannot the governments satisfy them if it helps overcome the pollution issue? Thousands of crores of rupees are spent on debt relief during elections, many more thousands of crores swindled by questionable businessmen and industrialists of the likes of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi , not to talk of huge money lost as NPAs. Surely, the amount required for satisfying neighborhood farmers will be much less. Delhi pollution is international headline affecting the country’s prestige. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have been applauded in international fora for taking steps to mitigate climate change. But if he cannot solve the issue of Delhi pollution, specially the one caused by stubble burning during winter months, it is a pity and speaks of volumes of the governmental efforts at containing the menace.

If the Centre’s apathy is inexplicable, what is being done at the Delhi government’s level is unpardonable. According to the Central Green Tribunal, the Delhi government is lagging by two years on coming out with a state action plan to combat pollution. The plan is expected to roll out practical steps to check rising pollution levels in the national capital. The much hyped AAP government has been in power for three years now. No wonder, internal squabbling and bureaucratic indifference have taken their toll. But why should the people suffer for this? The answer may be coming in the forthcoming polls.

A recent strike by the ‘safai karamcharis’ of East Delhi municipal corporation is a case in point. The whole of East Delhi was stinking for several weeks before the issue of non-payment of wages of the karamcharis was solved. Both the AAP government and the Centre blamed each other for the non-payment of the staff.

While the above example is just illustrative of the state of affairs in the national capital, what cannot brook any delay in solving is the problem of pollution due to stubble burning. Apart from the suffering of Delhi citizens, consider the economic loss to the country. Foreign governments issue advisories to tourists not to land in Delhi or visit the region during polluted winter months which happen to be the tourist season. Tourism is known to be a big foreign exchange earner. According tourism circles, much of the international tourist traffic now avoids Delhi region during winter due to pollution concerns. Their destinations are places like Indonesia , Phillippines, Srilanka during winter months.