Over 60% paddy area in Punjab still to be cleared, more farm fires to come: CAQM

State data showed that on Thursday Punjab recorded 1,111 farm fires, taking the number of farm fires of this season to 8147.

Farm fires in Punjab and meteorological conditions in Delhi took the capital’s air quality index deep into the “very poor” zone on Thursday -- and the pollution could get even worse in coming days.

A farmer burns paddy stubble in Punjab. (PTI)

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for NCR and its adjoining areas said in a statement that till October 24, only around 39% of the sown area in Punjab has been cleared, indicating a spike in the offing.

Wednesday was the tipping point.

While farm fire figures in Punjab were lower than last year’s figure for the corresponding period till October 25, the figures for this year crossed last year’s number on October 26. According to CAQM data the total number of farm fires in Punjab was 7,036 till October 26 this year, while it was 6,463 fires till the same time last year. On October 25, the cumulative numbers were 5,798 for this year and 6,134 for last.

According to Punjab government data, the Majha region, which is the smallest part of Punjab (and where harvests are typically early), reported the highest number of farm fires, 3,587 thus far this season, while Malwa, which covers almost 60% of Punjab, has seen only 3,517 fires so far. The Doaba region has reported 1,043 till October 27.

State data showed that on Thursday Punjab recorded 1,111 farm fires, taking the number of farm fires of this season to 8147.

What’s worrying, but not expected is the gathering momentum of fires. According to CAQM, 61% of total fires this year have been seen in the past six days.

“Around 70 % of farm fires during the current paddy harvesting season have been reported only from six districts namely Amritsar, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Patiala and Tarn Taran. These districts account for 4,899 cases as against a total of 7,036 incidents in Punjab. These traditional six hotspot districts had also accounted for about 65% of the total burning incidents during the last year for the same period,” the CAQM statement added.

It said that owing to these high numbers, CAQM has also written to the chief secretary of Punjab for the implementation of the action plan already laid ahead for the state.

“Considering the present situation and spike in the stubble burning incidents, the Commission has again taken up with the Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab for effective implementation of Action Plan including all strategies for stubble management and appropriate actions in all reported cases of farm fires,” it said.

Data released by CAQM showed that till October 26, Haryana has recorded 1,495 fires , a drop of 26% from 2,010 fires for the corresponding period last year.

“In a review meeting held with the Chief Secretary, Haryana and Deputy Commissioners last week, the Commission advised us to further intensify their efforts to control farm fire events in the state of Haryana,” CAQM added.

After Majha, farm fires are picking up in the Malwa belt also. On Thursday, 139 cases were reported from Sangrur—the home turf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while neighbouring Patiala reported 134 cases.

Punjab Pollution Control Board Secretary Krunesh Garg said that most farmers are cooperating this time. He added that the government was hopeful the area under farm fires will reduce this year. “The next two weeks are very crucial. The state government has already asked field staff to remain on toes to motivate farmers for ex-situ and in-situ handling of straw. The best thing is that people are now willingly bailing bales for ex-situ as some power plants are purchasing the residue. Beside that there is an increase in the trend of using super seeders for direct sowing of wheat.”

The ground reality remains different, though.

Kuldeep Singh of Pangota village, a farmer who burnt straw this year said, “Instead of giving a concrete solution for managing stubble, the government makes policies in drawing rooms, which are not suitable for farmers. They ask us to use a bailer, but no one is here to purchase paddy straw bales. ”