Punjab’s Sangrur reports most farm fires, next 10 days critical, say experts
The number of farm fires in Punjab has surged, with over a fourth of nearly 20,000 instances of stubble burning detected in the past two days. Officials warn that more fires are likely for at least nine more days. The surge is led by Sangrur, the constituency of Punjab's chief minister. Farm fires contribute to the pollution crisis in Delhi. The numbers are lower than in previous years, but Delhi and its surrounding cities have been in "severe" pollution for five days. The spike is due to farmers having little time to clear their fields before preparing for the next crop.
The number of farm fires in Punjab have begun surging, with the past two days having recorded more than a fourth of the nearly 20,000 instances of stubble burning detected, and officials warned that more is likely to follow for at least nine more days.
Leading the surge is Sangrur, which includes the Dhuri legislative assembly constituency that chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann represents. Of the 2,060 cases reported on Monday, 509 were from the Sangrur district.
Farm fires in the state and in neighbouring Haryana are linked to the pollution crisis in the national Capital, where the AAP had in the past made it a health as well as a political issue. Delhi chief minister and AAP’s convener Arvind Kejriwal had last year taken responsibility for the farm and assured that the numbers would drop.
To be sure, the numbers are lower by at least a third compared to the average of the last three years. But Delhi and its surrounding cities are in the grip of air in the “severe” pollution category for five days now, in what could become a record-breaking streak if it lasts for three more days.
Farm fires, however, are not the only reason for the crisis, which is precipitated by windless climatic conditions and festival season traffic.
Officials said the current spike is due to the traditional problem of farmers having been left with little time to clear their fields before they need to finish preparing and sowing the next crop. “Both in-situ (on farm) or ex-situ (removed from farm) management processes require at least 3-4 days to clear paddy straw from fields before ploughing for the wheat crop. In this situation, the farmers have no choice but to burn paddy leftover and start preparing their fields for wheat sowing,” an official said, adding that the window is short for some farmers who had to sow the crop late due to floods.
Punjab agriculture director Jaswant Singh said the coming 7-10 days are crucial and a meeting was held with deputy commissioners of all the districts to implement an action plan to minimise the cases.
“The cases are likely to recede after November 15. The cases dropped down in 2022 as compared to 2021 in the last leg of harvesting. We are expecting a drop in overall figures this year too,” he said.
Farm union leaders said those resorting to burning were farmers who could not afford it. “The state government should provide equipment and other machinery required for stubble management in adequate numbers so that the farmers can utilise it. Moreover, the additional cost on paddy MSP should be provided to farmers for managing the stubble left behind,” said Buta Singh Burjgill, state president of BKU (Dakaunda).