New Delhi: Incidents of stubble burning in Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Delhi, and the NCR (National Capital Region) districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have reduced by 54 per cent this year compared to 2022, Environment, Forest and Climate Change ministry (MoEFCC) said.
From September 15 till October 29, these places witnessed a total of 6,391 incidents as against 13,964 such cases in the corresponding period last year, showing a 54 per cent decline in number of farm fire incidents, MoEFCC said in a statement.
The same places had reported 11,461 farm fires during the same period in 2021.
According to the statement, the total stubble-burning incidents detected in Punjab during this 45-day period is 5,254 as against 12,112 in 2022 and 9,001 in 2021. “The farm fire events reported in Punjab during the 45 days period of current year are 56.6% & 41.6% lesser as compared to the corresponding periods in 2022 and 2021 respectively,” it said.
Punjab reported 1,068 farm fires on Sunday, the highest in a single day in the current harvesting season as paddy growers continue to burn crop residue.
From September 15 till October 29, the state witnessed a total of 5,254 farm fire incidents as against 12,112 such cases in the corresponding period last year, showing 57 per cent decline in the number of farm fire incidents.
Out of the total 5,254 farm fires reported so far, Amritsar constituted the bulk of crop residue burning cases at 1,060, followed by 646 in Tarn Taran, 590 in Patiala, 540 in Sangrur and 505 in Ferozepur, as per the data.
Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.
In the last 45 days, Haryana witnessed a total of 1,094 farm fire incidents as against 1,813 in 2022 and 2,413 in 2021.