E-Paper
Pollution worries for Delhi-NCR as Punjab records 100 plus farm fires
As per the data of the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), a total of 561 fires were recorded from September 15 to October 3
For the third day in a row, Punjab recorded over 100 cases of stubble burning this kharif season. Majha region where harvesting of basmati and short-duration of non-basmati starts early, once again reported maximum incidents. On Tuesday, Amritsar recorded a maximum of 48 fires followed by Tarn Taran (26), Kapurthala (13) and Patiala (7).
As per the data of the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), a total of 561 fires were recorded from September 15 to October 3. Since the beginning of this month, 337 active fires from fields have been recorded, which is close to 60% of the total incidents this season.
On October 1, the PRSC satellite captured 123 fires and the next day the figure was 119. On October 3, a total of 105 farm fires were reported.
Last year till October 3, the state had recorded 350 incidents. On October 3 last year, the state had reported 75 incidents.
Punjab authorities started monitoring stubble burning from September 15 and the very next day first fire was tracked to an Amritsar village.
Majha region, where harvesting begins earlier than in other parts of the state, has reported 456 fires from Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur out of a total of 561.
2 challans issued for stubble burning
Patiala The Patiala administration, on Tuesday, issued environment challans to two farmers of the district for farm fires. Besides issuing the challans, the administration barred both the farmers from getting an arms licence — hereafter, in future.
The administration further said if they fail to pay the challans, the farmers would not be provided any no objection certificate (NOC) needed at the time of joining any government service.
The Patiala administration said that they would issue the challans to the farmers only after physically verifying the incidents of the fire after being reported by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC).
Patiala DC Sakshi Sawhney said, “Out of the seven, only two fire incidents were found in the fields when it was physically verified by our teams within 48 hours of getting reports.”
Paddy’s arrival gains pace
On the third day of the official date for procurement of non-basmati varieties, paddy arrival crossed the one lakh tonne mark. Punjab Mandi Board data said mandis have registered the arrival of 1.16 lakh tonnes from 22 districts by 7 pm on Tuesday.
To date, 65,000 tonnes of paddy has been purchased at the rate of 56% with respect to arrival in mandis.
Government agencies have purchased 53,000 tonnes, while the rest of the 12,000 tonnes was bought by private parties.
In 2022, a total of 82,000 tonnes of paddy arrived in mandis and the government agencies had procured 46,000 tonnes out of 57,000 tonnes sold in mandis.
