Patiala With Punjab recording 3,742 cases on Saturday, the total number of farm fires in the state has reached 62,863, the second highest over the past five years. Almost 80% of total cases this season have recorded in November. This, coupled with the numbers, show that Punjab state machinery has miserably failed in implementing the law in place to stop stubble burning. Last year, Punjab recorded 76,590 cases; 2019 saw 55,210 cases.
On Saturday (November 13), the satellite captured 3,742 events in the state; on the corresponding in 2020, there were 2,450 cases, and in 2019, there were only five active farm fires seen.
The massive fires over the past week highlight that farm fires this year are delayed, and the number is only headed for further increase over the next few days. On Saturday, 515 cases was registered in Sangrur; Moga recorded 422; Bathinda 271; Barnala 201; Ferozepur 330; Muktsar 295 and Ludhiana recorded 302 cases.
Experts say that it was clear that in view of the ongoing farmers protest in the Punjab, the state government was going soft on farmers and not registering any FIR against those indulging in burning of stubble.