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With 127 cases, Punjab sees dip in farm fires after 4 days
Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) chairperson Adarshpal Vig said the state is seeing fewer cases this year as farmers are finally beginning to understand the ill-effects of setting stubble afire and cooperating with the government.
After seeing a consistent spike in farm fire cases for four days in a row, Punjab recorded a comparative dip with only 127 cases surfacing on Saturday.
Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) chairperson Adarshpal Vig said the state is seeing fewer cases this year as farmers are finally beginning to understand the ill-effects of setting stubble afire and cooperating with the government.
Besides, the government has given them bailers on subsidy to create straw bales and sell it to industries that can turn it into fuel.
“Except three districts, farm fires are on a downward trend in the rest of Punjab,” said the PPCB chairperson.
The highest number of cases this time have come from Amritsar where 1,003 cases were recorded, Tarn Taran 513 cases and Patiala 507 cases but the numbers here are still far below what was seen last year.
The state has so far logged 4,186 stubble burning cases, while last year’s total count on this day was 10,214.
Field officials, on the condition of anonymity, however, said that though right now the cases are low, there is a strong possibility that farm fires may increase in the coming days, particularly in areas where farmer unions have a strong base.
The average AQI of Punjab was 132 on Saturday evening, which is much better than the previous years.
