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Another big burst takes farm fire count to 30k in Punjab
Wednesday’s addition of farm fires now brings the total count in the state this season to 30,661.
The spate in stubble burning cases continues as Punjab has recorded a 31% increase from Tuesday’s 1,776 cases to 2,544 on Wednesday.
There seems to be no respite from raging incidents of stubble burning in the state. Wednesday’s addition of farm fires now brings the total count in the state this season to 30,661.
Even as the Supreme Court had passed strict directions to the state government to stop stubble burning, Punjab reported 75% of total cases reported this harvesting season in November till date. The state recorded 22,988 cases in the past fortnight, with the season’s highest of 3,250 cases reported on November 5.
The straw burning cases on Wednesday were more compared to the corresponding period in 2022 and 2021. The state recorded 1,761 cases of stubble burning on November 15, 2021 (41% increase this year) and 141 cases on the same date in 2022. The total cases reported on the state during the corresponding period in 2021 and 2022 were 67,020 and 43,289 and cases, respectively.
Even the police enforcement to tackle farm fires failed to come up with positive results due to lack of planning and logistics on the ground.
One of the DSPs said, “Even as SHOs had directed sarpanches for prompt and first-hand information of stubble burning cases in their respective villages, nothing came out of it. Moreover, there is no scientific system that can get immediate reports of farm fires in real time in our area so that instant action could be taken.”
An official said, “We can’t just put all the force in dousing fire as maintaining law and order is the prime motive.”
Of the total 23 districts, active farm fire cases were reported in 20 districts with Bathinda on top with 356 cases, followed by 318 in Moga, 264 in Barnala, 262 in Sangrur, 253 in Ferozepur and 225 in Faridkot.
Muktsar district recorded 180 active farm fire incidents followed by 179 in Fazilka and 144 in Ludhiana. Three districts, SAS Nagar, Rupnagar and Pathankot, didn’t report a single case of stubble burning.
Going by the trends of stubble burning reported during the last phase of the harvesting season, at least 35% of total cases were recorded from November 6 to November 16 last year, while the figure was higher in 2021 as 44% of the total cases were reported during the same period of the time.
In 2022, of a total of 49,992 fire incidents, 17,525 cases were reported between November 6 and 16. In 2021, a total of 71,304 cases were reported of which 39,992 cases were recorded during the same dates. The cases started receding post November 17 in both years.
Bathinda continues to be most polluted
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Bathinda remained most polluted with an AQI level of 387, which is a very poor category.
Mandi Gobindgarh remained in the poor category with AQI of 280, followed by Patiala 238 and Jalandhar 22.
Ludhiana recorded an AQI of 162, followed by Amritsar 163, Rupnagar 153 and Khanna 161, all in moderate category.
Red alert sounded in all dists
Hoshiarpur In compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court, a red alert had been sounded in all the districts and legal action would be initiated if anyone was found burning stubble, special director general of police (law and order) Arpit Shukla said on Wednesday.
DGP Gaurav Yadav has appointed Shukla as the police nodal officer to monitor action regarding stubble burning.
Shukla said that CPs/SSPs had been directed to engage farmers, citizens and other stakeholders and sensitise them about the ill-effects of stubble burning.
“All DSPs and SHOs have been asked to have discussions with sarpanches and farmer leaders and make them aware about the ill-effects of stubble burning, which affects each and every individual,” said Shukla who was on a whirlwind tour to review the stubble burning cases in the district.
He said that depending on the area and size of the police station, sufficient number of additional patrolling parties had been activated, even as flying squads were keeping a vigil on stubble burning. Strict legal action will be taken against violators, he added.
He also called a meeting of all gazetted-rank officers and station house officers to review the status of stubble burning in their areas.
