Punjab, Haryana start crackdown on stubble burning as Delhi continues to choke due to poor air quality
After being pulled up by the Supreme Court for their inaction against farmers indulging in stubble burning, authorities in Punjab and Haryana have started acting against violators. In Punjab, the police on Monday said that over 870 FIRs had been registered for stubble burning in over a month and fines amounting to Rs 10.55 lakh were imposed on the offenders.?
FIR against farmers for stubble burning
Red entries have also been made in the revenue records of nearly 400 farmers for burning crop residue, the police further stated. According to the police, by Monday, a total of 1,393 farm fires were detected by satellites in Punjab.??
In neighbouring Haryana, a total of 22 FIRs were registered in the past week, and 16 farmers were arrested for stubble burning.??
Stubble burning and air pollution in Delhi
Stubble burning by paddy farmers in Punjab and Haryana is partly blamed for the rise in air pollution levels in Delhi NCR during this time of year.??
Despite warnings of legal action and awareness campaigns to discourage farmers from open burning of crop residue, authorities have so far failed to put an end to the practice of stubble burning.??
Even many farmers who indulge in stubble burning admit that they are aware of the health consequences of their actions but add that they have no option but to burn the residue to prepare the field for the next crop.??
Stubble burning cases have come down from 2023
Meanwhile, an analysis by Climate Trends has shown that stubble-burning incidents in Haryana and Punjab have decreased since last year.??
The study found that farm fire counts in Haryana decreased from 14,122 in 2019 to 7,959 in 2023. In Punjab, fire incidents peaked in 2020 at 95,048 but dropped to 52,722 by 2023.??
Districts such as Karnal and Kaithal witnessed remarkable decreases of approximately 86 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively. However, areas like Gurgaon, Mewat, and Jhajjar experienced increases in fire incidents, the analysis found.
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