‘Dark’ days ahead as farm fires rise in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The national capital may have to suffer heightened air pollution this winter as there has been a marked rise in the number of stubble burnings in nearby states. Stubble (parali) burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the main reasons behind the fall in air quality and smog ahead of the winter season in Delhi.

As per satellite imagery, there have been 1,926 stubble burnings reported in Punjab in the 19 days between September 21 and October 9. This is almost five times the number of such fires for the same period last year. The majority of these cases have been reported from Amritsar, Patiala, SBS Nagar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has imposed a total fine of `12.25 lakh in 460 paddy stubble burning cases in the state to date.

The PPCB has also challaned owners of five harvest machines for working without the Super Straw Management System (SMS) that the state government has made mandatory. The government has also deputed 8,000 nodal officers to keep vigil in the 10,500 paddy growing villages where the crop has been grown over 66 lakh acres this year.

In both 2018 and 2019, the number of cases of paddy straw burning had crossed the 50,000-mark. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had recently appealed to farmers not to burn crop residue as it could aggravate Covid- 19 conditions apart from leading to pollution.

“The experts have warned that it could have serious implications for people already suffering from lung and other diseases,” Singh had said. In neighbouring Haryana, Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan had directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure the availability of crop residue management machinery to small and marginal farmers on a priority basis. Some cases of stubble burning have been reported from Karnal and Fatehabad districts in the state.