The district’s air quality deteriorated again on Friday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 287 and remained in the ‘poor’ category, a day after the city experienced a brief respite from pollution. The AQI had improved to 206 on Wednesday before rising to 284 late Thursday night and climbed further on Friday.
The deterioration comes even as paddy harvesting in the district is nearing completion, with nearly 98% of the 2.6 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation already harvested. However, stubble burning incidents continue to be reported, taking the cumulative count to 284 by November 12. With only 2% of the crop left to be harvested, farm fires remain a concern even towards the end of the harvesting season.
According to data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), farm fires in Ludhiana district increased from 106 on November 6 to 122 on November 7 and 193 by November 8, before reaching 284 by Thursday (November 12). The rise in incidents continued even as the area harvested expanded and the paddy season approached its end.
The AQI in other Punjab cities also remained elevated. Bathinda recorded 205 and Amritsar 217, both in the poor category, while Patiala’s reading stood at 145 (moderate). Rupnagar recorded a satisfactory AQI of 53.
{{/usCountry}}The AQI in other Punjab cities also remained elevated. Bathinda recorded 205 and Amritsar 217, both in the poor category, while Patiala’s reading stood at 145 (moderate). Rupnagar recorded a satisfactory AQI of 53.
{{/usCountry}}The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI of 0-50 as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor and 401-500 as severe.
Meanwhile, enforcement agencies have inspected 268 fields in the district so far and confirmed stubble burning at 141 locations.
Environmental compensation of ₹5.15 lakh has been imposed in 103 cases, while 20 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered against violators in the district. Red entries have also been marked in the land records of 85 farmers, and 48 warning notices have been issued to nodal and supervisory officers in areas reporting a high number of verified farm fires. A red entry is an adverse remark or penalty notation made by state authorities in land revenue records against a specific farmer’s land parcel.
Across Punjab, the cumulative number of stubble burning incidents crossed 5,500 by November 12.
Chief agriculture officer Gurdeep Singh said: “Officials are closely monitoring the situation and that FIRs have been registered against those violating the norms.”