Punjab records 5% uptick in farm fires this rabi season

As per PPCB data, the border district, Gurdaspur reported 1,336 farm fire incidents, the highest in the state this year. Amritsar with 1,015 incidents was second.

Punjab reported a 5% uptick in farm fire incidents this rabi season compared to last year. As per the data of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), this season, the state reported 11,900 farm fire incidents. The last year’s count was 11,353 and the state saw a drop of 22% in the stubble burning incidents.

As per PPCB data, the border district, Gurdaspur reported 1,336 farm fire incidents, the highest in the state this year. Amritsar with 1,015 incidents was second.

As per PPCB data, the border district, Gurdaspur reported 1,336 farm fire incidents, the highest in the state this year. Amritsar with 1,015 incidents was second.

PPCB sets off its monitoring of farm fires from April 15, when the wheat harvesting in the state begins and ends on May 31 when the farmers start ploughing their fields in preparation for paddy sowing.

According to the data, the state recorded 13,420 cases in 2020, 10,100 in 2021 and 14,511 in 2022.

As per the record, the majority of the farm-fire incidents were reported in May owing to a delay in the harvesting of wheat crops. “Majority of the incidents of farm fires were reported between May 8 and 18. Despite a time window of nearly a month to ready their fields for paddy transplantation, the farmers set their remaining wheat straws on fire,” said a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department.

A PPCB official, pleading anonymity, said as the entire state machinery was busy in poll arrangements, the farmers in the state made the most of the situation.

PPCB chairman Adarsh Pal Vij said it was not a good sign for the state. “We were not expecting farm fire incidents to increase. Farmers should realise that farm fires cause serious damage to the environment.”