Stubble burning: 30% reduction in fire incidents, says Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

In 2021, 71,304 farm fire incidents were reported from September 15 to November 30 in the state, while 49,907 fire incidents occurred during the same period this year.

CHANDIGARH Punjab environment minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Wednesday claimed that the campaign launched by the state government to prevent stubble burning during the paddy season received a huge response, and there has been a 30% reduction in fire cases this time as compared to last year.

Farmers burn crop stubble in a rice field at a village in Fatehgarh Sahib district. (REUTERS File Photo)

Meet Hayer said the state government, to stop the stubble burning, decided to go in for the in-situ and ex-situ management and a special campaign was started to honour the farmers who did not burn stubble. In 2021, 71,304 fire incidents were reported from September 15 to November 30 in the state, while 49,907 fire incidents occurred during the same period this year.

The minister said the CM had sought compensation amount from the Centre and Punjab was also to contribute its share, but the same was not accepted. “Had there been a positive response from the Centre, there would have been a further decline in stubble burning cases,” he said.