Significant decrease in stubble-burning cases in Punjab, Haryana

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 15

The Environment Ministry on Friday said active paddy residue burning cases in Punjab, Haryana and the eight NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh had "come down significantly" this year and fewer fire counts were reported in 2021 as compared to last year.

As many as "1,795 fire counts were reported in the past one month as compared to 4,854 instances in the corresponding period in 2020," officials said, adding that Punjab had reported substantial reduction.

Of them, 663 fields have been inspected by the enforcement agencies and officials concerned of the respective states and Environmental Compensation (EC) imposed in 252 cases, they added.

As per the report based on the protocol framed by ISRO for the Commission, paddy residue burning events have been reduced by 69.49 per cent in Punjab, by 18.28 per cent in Haryana and by 47.61 per cent in the eight NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh during the one-month period compared to the same period last year, they added.

During the one-month period of the current year, the total reported residue burning events in Punjab are 1,286 as against 4,216 for the same period last year. 

In Haryana, the reported fire incidents are 487 as against 596 for the corresponding period last year. 

In UP, the total stubble fire incidents reported during this period are 22 as against 42 for the corresponding period last year.

No fire counts have been reported from Delhi and two NCR districts of Rajasthan. 

The first paddy residue burning was reported on September 16 in Punjab, on September 28 in Haryana and on September 18 in the NCR area of Uttar Pradesh.

The major hotspots of paddy residue burning in Punjab are Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Patiala and Ludhiana. The four districts account for 72 per cent of stubble burning cases. 

Similarly, the major hotspots in Haryana are Karnal, Kaithal and Kurukshetra. These three districts account for 80 per cent of the stubble-burning incidents.

To curb air pollution during the ongoing harvest season, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has been actively monitoring paddy residue burning events from  September 15 onwards in Punjab, Haryana and the NCR districts of UP.

"The Commission is taking up with the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on a daily basis to ensure strict implementation of the action plan and the framework to curb paddy residue burning events. CAQM has also held a series of meetings with state officials, including the district collectors/district magistrates of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh," they said.