Punjab reports 12,000 farm fires in 3 days

Sangrur saw the highest number of cases of Punjab farm fires; the Air Quality Index (AQI) of several cities crossed 300, which is akin to a health emergency

Patiala With almost 4,000 cases of farm fires reported on Saturday, the spike is turning Punjab’s air toxic as major cities like Patiala, Sangrur and Ludhiana now have a visible layer of smog. Over the past three days, 12,301 cases have been reported; this is around 37% of 32,734 cases reported to date this season. In 2019, 4,741 active fire events were captured, with 3,858 in 2020.

Punjab farm fires will see a spike later than previous seasons this year due to delayed paddy harvest, which has resulted due to untimely rain. (AFP)

In the figures to date, 2020 had seen 52,890 cases much higher than this year. The number, however, is expected to spike this year, as untimely rain has delayed the harvest of paddy this year.

Sangrur has reported 608 farm fires, the highest in Punjab; Barnala 351; Bathinda 252; Moga 422; Ludhiana 398 and Patiala 266. “After the Majha region, now the spurt of farm fires is in the Malwa region. The air quality is set to deteriorate for the next few days, as farmer unions oppose the central laws by burning straw,” said an agricultural department official.

As far as the AQI is concerned, Patiala, Ludhiana, Bathinda recorded AQI above 300 (meant to denote emergency health situations). There is visible smog in the air of Patiala, Sangrur, Ludhiana and adjoining areas. The Punjab government has deputed 8,000 nodal officers to check farm fires, however, they fail to make any mark as no official is acting against farmers due to their stir that will soon complete a year.