"Machinery should be given at subsidized rates and sold to cooperative sectors": Farmer leader Prem Singh Bhangu

Speaking to ANI, he said "We have placed our demands that the machinery should be given at subsidized rates and sold to the cooperative sector. The fire of the stubble first harms the farmers and then others. The government is not providing a positive solution. When we do paddy harvesting and wheat sowing, we barely have 10 to 12 days and we have to do a lot of work during that time. If the produce stays in the field, the field does not get cleaned up."

Further, Bhangu added that if the government's failure to resort to the demands of the farmers forced them to resort to stubble burning.

"They need to complete our demands, otherwise we are forced to resort to stubble burning. They should also give us a bonus over and off the MSP to the farmers who do not indulge in the burning. The government always blames the farmers. The pollution is being caused due to other reasons and not due to us. As per Supreme Court, only 6 percent pollution is caused due to stubble burning. We only perform the burning due to compulsion.," he said.

Bharti Kissan Union- Kadian (BKU-Kadian) spokesperson Ravneet Brar said that the government needs to provide a compensation to the farmers which would be suitable to their demands as well.

Speaking to ANI, Brar said "In 2019, the SC had said in a hearing that the farmers cannot be punished without any reason. We are waiting for the government to give us a compensation. Earlier, the government had provided the farmers subsidies on the tractors but they did not lead to any benefit for the farmers. Every year, during October- November, the government wakes up and then goes to sleep again in December. If the government wants to provide subsidy, you provide 2 tractors in the villages of Punjab to each farmer."

Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Malook Nagar on the stubble issue said that the government should provide the farmers with such a solution that they do not do stubble burning.

"The government should form such a solution that the farmers do not do stubble burning. On one side, the farmers grow crops and other hand, they have to resort to stubble burning. The government needs to up their game and get better technologies from abroad to resolve the issue.

Earlier, the Supreme Court summoned the Chief Secretaries of the Punjab and Haryana governments and asked them to explain why legal action against stubble burning in the states was not taken.

Meanwhile, on the worsening air quality in Delhi, Congress leader Abhishek Dutta questioned what Gopal Rai and the Delhi Chief Minister had done for the issue in the last ten years.

Speaking to ANI, Dutta said "What has Gopal Rai and the Delhi CM done in the national capital to control the pollution in the last 10 years? The administration, governance and air pollution has worsened. The AAP is just doing a drama of doing some work. The people of Delhi are suffering in the tussle between AAP and BJP."

The AQI in Delhi dropped to 226 and was categorized as 'Poor' by the Central Pollution Control Board. (ANI)