Surprising Blaze: Over 80 Farmers Nabbed for Igniting Delhi’s Hidden Hazard
In a blistering winter, Delhi’s sky turned into a toxic cocktail, thanks to more than 80 farmers who set fire to stubble and opened the case for an enormous pollution nightmare that rattled the capital and beyond.
Why the Fires Fanned the Firestorm
Every winter, once the harvest is done, farmers toss their leftover stubble into the air. The resulting blaze adds poison to Delhi’s already‑laden air, turning the city into the world’s smoggiest capital alongside car and factory fumes.
High Stakes on the Ground
- Punjab & Haryana produce almost 18 million tonnes of rice annually, which results in nearly 20 million tonnes of stubble that is often roasted.
- A punitive order from the Supreme Court sternly demanded that these fires stop—yet they continued, mainly at night to dodge cops.
- According to a senior Punjab police officer, a staggering 17,000 farm fires were logged in just three days, with 4,741 on Wednesday alone.
- Now 84 individuals have been seized, and 174 cases pending against farmers who broke the law.
Scales of the Smoky Problem
Since late September, the two states have reported more than 48,000 farm fires—a sky‑high jump from 30,000 back in 2018.
Supreme Court’s “Stop Fire” Directive
On Monday, the highest court not only urged for an instant cessation but also scolded local authorities for ignoring the order, urging them to pay hardworking farmers that would avoid setting the stubble aflame.
Justice Arun Mishra made it clear: “You just want to sit in your ivory towers and rule. You are not bothered and are letting the people die.”
Who’s Feeling the Fallout?
Delhi’s Distressed Dwellers
Even four days after a severe pollution spike that shut schools and triggered a public health emergency, Delhi’s air quality remained poor.
The medical community warns that such haze can kill hundreds of thousands of lives annually, with microscopic particles sneaking into arteries and hearts as it swirls over the capital.
Pakistan’s Perspective
In Lahore—Pakistan’s second-largest city—schools were shut down due to bad air. Environment officials traced the haze back to crop burning beyond the border.
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said his administration tackles a similar problem in Pakistani Punjab, stressing that “the flow of smoke comes from both sides of the border.”
Twitter user Ammar Ali Jan complained, “The smog is impossible to escape. We destroyed our water resources. Now our air is hazardous. We have turned elements of life into vehicles of death.”
Conclusion: A Shared Struggle
When farmers light their stubble to clear fields quickly, they inadvertently ignite a “smog storm” that drags both Delhi and Lahore into a murky haze. It’s time for both sides to collaborate—perhaps trading fire‑tipped timepieces (just kidding) or at least shared brainstorming—so that the air in the capital can breathe again without impairing future generations.
