Punjab gasps as cases of farm fires rise

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 1

With cases of stubble-burning unabated, visibility in Punjab fell to near zero on Friday. Official sources warned of worse days ahead. 

The state recorded the average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 295. Khanna was the worst-hit at 321 followed by Mandi Gobindgarh at 316.

Malwa  recorded as many as 317 farm fires today. Patiala topped the list with 102. As many as 1,008 fires were reported by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre in Kapurthala and 900 in Jalandhar. People going towards Sultanpur Lodhi to pay obeisance said they found it diffucult to drive  due to the haze.

Residents complained of irritation in the eyes and difficulty in breathing. President of the Association of Physicians of India (Malwa branch) Dr 

Vitull K Gupta said the emission of hazardous gases  severly affected public health.