E-Paper
Punjab: Fresh 202 field fire cases take tally to 1,418
In the last five days, Punjab has logged nearly 800 cases, indicating growing pressure on farmers to quickly prepare their fields for sowing wheat.
Punjab on Thursday reported 202 fresh farm fire incidents, taking the total count to 1,418 so far this season. This marks the second consecutive day that the state has recorded more than 200 cases, signalling a sharp rise in stubble-burning incidents over the past week.
In the last five days, Punjab has logged nearly 800 cases, indicating growing pressure on farmers to quickly prepare their fields for sowing wheat.
As per data from the state agriculture department, nearly 75% of the harvesting has been completed, and the ideal window for sowing the rabi staple, November 15, is closing in.
According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Sangrur on Thursday once again logged the highest 48 new incidents. The district has now reported 212 cases in total, making it the second-highest in the state after Tarn Taran, which tops the chart with 330 farm fires so far this season.
The PPCB, which monitors stubble burning from September 15 to November 30, had recorded 10,909 incidents last year.
Despite the recent spike, the overall number of incidents still shows a 42% decline compared to the same period last year, when the state logged 2,466 cases.
However, what’s worrying the experts is the fact that several districts in the Malwa region, the state’s major grain belt, have either matched or exceeded last year’s figures.
In Bathinda, 77 cases have been reported this year against 48 during the same period last year. Barnala has recorded 31 incidents compared to 20 last year, while Muktsar logged 30, also higher than last year’s tally. Sangrur, which had the highest number of farm fires in the state last year with 1,725 incidents, has already reached 218 cases, nearly touching last year’s mark of 259 during the same period.
Officials said the late spike in the stubble burning cases this year is primarily due to the late start of paddy harvesting, which was delayed by weather conditions and crop maturity. “The pattern of burning is delayed by nearly two weeks compared to last year,” a senior PPCB official admitted, pleading anonymity. “Typically, the state witnesses a major surge around mid-October, but this time, harvesting was delayed,” he added.
Authorities fears uptick in Nov’s 1st week
As of now, only a few districts have completed more than 90% harvesting. The Malwa region, which contributes the majority of stubble burning cases, is expected to see a spike in the coming days. Farmers have a narrow window to complete harvesting and sow wheat before November 15, the ideal deadline for optimum yield. Consequently, officials fear that many may resort to burning stubble to clear their fields quickly.
With harvesting now in full swing, authorities expect the number of cases to rise significantly in the first week of November, despite repeated appeals and penal actions against violators.
Punjab Police have so far lodged 430 cases against farmers for violating stubble-burning norms. Of these, 88 FIRs have been registered in Tarn Taran alone.
The PPCB has made 490 ‘red entries’ in the land records of violators — an action that prevents them from availing agricultural loans or selling their land.
The pollution board has also imposed environmental compensation worth ₹27.20 lakh in 537 cases, of which ₹15.20 lakh has already been recovered. Officials said field teams have been directed to expedite recovery of the pending amount and intensify monitoring in hotspot districts.
AQI worsens
The rising farm fires have coincided with a dip in the state’s air quality. The air quality index (AQI) across several major cities deteriorated sharply on Thursday, slipping into the ‘poor’ category. Bathinda recorded the poorest AQI in the state at 231, followed by Jalandhar (201).
The PPCB has warned that the situation may worsen in the days ahead as calm weather conditions and low wind speeds are expected to trap pollutants closer to the ground, prolonging the presence of smoke in the atmosphere.
GFX
Farm fire tracker
Total incidents: 1,418
Dists with highest cases
Tarn Taran 330
Sangrur 218
Amritsar 186
Ferozepur 155
Patiala 82
Bathinda 77
Dists with least cases
Pathankot 0
Rupnagar 0
SBS Nagar 4
Hoshiarpur 9
Ludhiana 18
SAS Nagar 19
Action taken
FIRs: 381
Red entries: 432
Environment fine imposed: ₹24.25 lakh in 476 cases
