KARNAL: Despite the central government’s many efforts — a commission to check air pollution, jail threat of up to five years or a fine Rs 1 crore — paddy stubble burning continues unabated in Haryana.
As many as 200 cases of stubble burning were reported on Wednesday. All fresh cases of stubble burning were reported from eight districts in the state.
The total number of farm fires recorded in the ongoing season has risen to 8,286. The numbers are higher than the last year’s figure (6,008) in the corresponding period,
and even crossed the final tally of the last year, which was 6630 cases.
According to the data compiled by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, the maximum (1,476) active fire locations were reported from Kaithal district, followed by Fatehabad (1,453), Karnal (1,030), Jind (987), Kurukshetra (834), Ambala (798), Yamunanagar (485), Sirsa (408), Hisar (258), Palwal (116), Sonepat (142) and Rohtak (103).
The air quality index (AQI) Fatahabad was recorded up to 404 on Thursday, which falls in the severe category.
It was in the very poor category in Yamunanagar 393, Charkhi Dadari 388, Bahadurgarh 343, Dharuhera 324, Hisar 321, Sonipat 321, Sirsa 307, Jind 305, and Faridabad 304.
The AQI of 12 other cities — Ambala 295, Gurugram 293, Rohtak 291, Panipat 278, Narnaul 262, Kurukshetra 259, Manesar 254, Karnal 236, Ballabgarh 235, Panchkula 232, Bhiwani 228 and Kaithal 219 — stood at ‘poor’ level.