E-Paper
Mohali among districts with lowest farm fires in Punjab
Mohali also recorded 18% dip in cases of stubble burning over last two months compared to the same period last year
With around 18% dip in stubble burning cases, Mohali district has recorded fourth lowest farm fire cases in Punjab this Kharif season.
The district, which has over 350 villages, reported 132 stubble burning cases from September 15 till November 14, while 161 incidents were recorded last year in the corresponding period. In 2021, 200 farm fires were recorded in the same duration.
Taking strict note of air pollution in the national capital earlier this month, the Supreme Court on November 7 had directed the governments of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to stop crop burning forthwith.
The apex court had made the local SHO responsible for implementing its direction on stubble burning under the supervision of the DGP and the chief secretary.
Notably, after the court warning, no case of stubble burning was reported in the district.
Police teams led by SHOs, along with 38 cluster officers and 98 nodal officers appointed by the district administration, kept a strict vigil after the top court’s strict warning.
“Our teams, along with the police, are on their toes to rein in stubble burning. Moreover, teams are holding camps in all villages and making farmers aware about the machinery available to collect stubble. Our staff is collecting the stubble from their fields so that farmers don’t burn it,” said Sonam Chaudhary, ADC, Rural.
According to sources, while authorities received a total of 132 farm fire complaints through satellite images sent by Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, the inspection teams could locate only 36 fire spots.
As per officials, since the satellite failed to give an exact location, citing that the exact site may vary up to a kilometre, the field teams failed to find the spots.
“Though we were assigned the target of zero farm fires, some farmers burnt the stubble despite repeated requests and even after being provided machinery, including super seeder, baler, MB plough, rake, shrub master, surface seeder and mulcher. The exact number of farms fires found at the spot were much less than the recorded figures. Moreover, five images of farm fires added to Mohali data belonged to neighbouring districts,” an officer said.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Aashika Jain said farm fires had dipped as the local administration regularly engaged with farmers, and established supply chain from farms to the industry to generate electricity and save the environment.
