E-Paper
Stubble fires spiked in Punjab this year, dropped in Haryana, shows CPCB data
In 2020, all the districts of Punjab except SBS Nagar have shown an upward trend in fire counts and have witnessed the lack of ground level implementation of the Centrally supported in-situ mechanisation scheme for crop stubble management
Stubble fires in Punjab increased by 46.5% this year compared to last year while they reduced by 28.6% in Haryana according to an assessment note released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Tuesday.
In Punjab, the total count of active fire events reported in 2020 is 76,537 while in 2019 it was 52,225 (Sept 21-Nov 22). Sangrur, Bathinda and Firozpur continued to record highest fire counts and reported an increase of 45.7%, 35% and 40.5% compared to last year. Moga, Amritsar, Fazilka, Ludhiana have shown more than 75% increase in fire counts in comparison to 2019.
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In 2020, all the districts of Punjab except Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar have shown an upward trend in fire counts and have witnessed the lack of ground level implementation of the Centrally supported in-situ mechanisation scheme for crop stubble management. The average contribution of stubble burning to PM 2.5 load in Delhi has increased from 10% (11 Oct – 10 Dec, 2019) to 15.63% (10 Oct -22 Nov, 2020). In 2020, 26 days recorded more than 10% contribution to Delhi’s PM 2.5 load between Oct 10 and November 22, while 21 days were reported for the same period in 2019.
In Haryana, total fire counts this year is 4,675 compared to 6,551 last year (during 25 Sept-22 Nov). Fatehabad, Kaithal and Karnal continued to record highest fire counts but recorded a reduction by 40% compared to last year. Fire counts in Palwal and Kurushetra reduced by 50-60%.
