Punjab on Sunday reported the highest number of farm fire incidents this season, on a day when the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage IV of the GRAP in the entire national capital region to prevent further deterioration in the air quality.
The northern state reported 3,230 farm fire incidents, taking the total number of stubble burning incidents at 17,403, PTI quoted the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data.
Sangrur reported the maximum farm fire incidents at 551. The other districts included Ferozepur (299), Mansa (293), Bathinda (247), Barnala (189), Moga (179), Tarn Taran (177) and Patiala (169).
As per the data, farm fire incidents in November constituted 56 per cent of the total number of incidents this season. The data reported that the stubble burning incidents registered from September 15 to November 5 this year is 41 per cent less than 29,400 recorded during the corresponding period in 2022.
Punjab had reported 28,792 farm fires during the same period in 2021. It had recorded 5,327 and 2,817 farm fires on November 5 in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Bathinda recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 375, Mandi Gobindgarh at 291, Khanna at 255, Patiala at 248 and Ludhiana at 243.
{{/usCountry}}According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Bathinda recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 375, Mandi Gobindgarh at 291, Khanna at 255, Patiala at 248 and Ludhiana at 243.
{{/usCountry}}An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
ALSO READ: Stubble burning incidents in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and NCR states down by 54% this year, says Centre
‘Very poor’, ‘severe' air quality in Haryana
Several places in Haryana recorded AQI in ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories. While Faridabad recorded AQI of 450, Fatehabad had an AQI of 442. The AQIs in Kaithal stood at 434, Hisar at 427, Gurugram at 402, Jind at 401, Sirsa at 390, Rohtak at 362, Panipat at 346, Kurukshetra at 330 and Karnal at 319.
Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded an AQI of 212.
Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the major reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the two states and neighbouring areas, including Delhi, in October and November.
‘Stubble burning in Punjab does not have much impact on Delhi’: AAP minister
Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai on Sunday said that the stubble burning in Punjab does not have as much impact on the national capital as the smoke coming from farm fires in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
“Central government figures show that less stubble has been burned in Punjab this year in comparison to last year. Punjab's stubble smoke does not have as much impact on Delhi as that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh”, Rai was quoted by ANI as saying.
"This is because there is no movement in the wind. Only if the wind blows, the smoke of Punjab will reach Delhi. Right now, there is smoke all around Delhi. The smoke of stubble from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is reaching Delhi," he added.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)