Punjab reports 740 fresh incidents of stubble burning

Chandigarh: Punjab on Sunday reported 740 stubble burning incidents.

Air quality indices remained in 'very poor' and 'poor' categories in many parts of Haryana and Punjab.

Of 740 farm fires reported, Fazilka saw the maximum number of such cases at 151, followed by 127 in Moga, 100 in Ferozepur, 68 in Faridkot, 57 in Muktsar and 55 in Bathinda.

On the same day in 2021 and 2022, the state had seen 448 and 426 farm fires respectively.

With fresh farm incidents, the total number of such cases since September 15 has risen to 34,459, according to the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data.

Out of the total 34,459 farm fires recorded from September 15 till November 19, Sangrur is leading with maximum stubble burning cases of 5,529, followed by 3,167 in Ferozepur, 2,808 in Bathinda, 2,417 in Moga, 2,215 in Mansa, and 2,206 in Barnala.

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.

Delhi's air quality index stood at 290 at 7 am. The 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm every day, was 319 on Saturday, 405 on Friday and 419 on Thursday.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe and above 450 severe plus.

Haryana's Sonipat reported an air quality index (AQI) of 392, followed by 361 in Fatehabad, 352 in Sirsa, 328 in Faridabad, 266 in Jind, 260 in Rohtak, 245 in Bhiwani, 236 in Gurugram and 212 in Kaithal.

In Punjab, Bathinda reported AQI at 298, followed by 250 in Rupnagar, 239 in Mandi Gobindgarh, 234 in Ludhiana, 223 in Patiala, 219 in Amritsar, 202 in Jalandhar and 171 in Khanna.

Union Territory Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, saw an AQI of 141.

Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Sunday said farmers, who shun the practice of stubble burning, will be honoured.

In a statement, Sandhwan said the state government has decided to appreciate such farmers in all districts, adding that officials of the agriculture department would compile a list of such agriculturists to extend them a special appreciation.

Special programmes will be organised across the state to honour the farmers shunning stubble burning, besides appreciating them in the Assembly also, he said.