Punjab farm fires update: Decline in stubble burning cases; Moga records highest number of incidents at 120
Bathinda retains its position as most polluted city with an average Air Quality Index of 319
PTC Web Desk: As the paddy harvesting season in Punjab approaches its end, a reduction in the occurrences of farm fires, or stubble burning cases, is becoming evident in the state. On Saturday, a total of 637 farm fires were reported across Punjab, with Moga recording the highest number of incidents at 120.
The cumulative count of farm fires has now reached 33,719. After a span of five days, the number of stubble burning cases in Punjab dropped below 1,000 on Saturday. Following Diwali, Punjab experienced a second surge in farm fire incidents. The closure of marketplaces at specific locations in the state, coupled with the ideal sowing period for wheat crops from November 1 to November 20, has induced concern among farmers. This situation led to the recent increase in farm fires.
Additionally, the police have taken proactive measures by issuing a red alert across the state and have announced the initiation of legal proceedings against those involved in stubble burning.
Apart from Moga, which reported 120 incidents, other areas in Punjab documented various numbers of farm fires: Fazilka reported 111, Ferozepur 69, Bathinda 57, Muktsar 51, Barnala 48, Faridkot 43, Sangrur 39, Ludhiana 23, Tarn Taran 15, Mansa 13, Jalandhar 11, Patiala 10, while Kapurthala and Malerkotla each witnessed eight cases. Four incidents of paddy residue burning were reported in Amritsar, and Fatehgarh Sahib registered three cases. Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar each reported two cases of stubble burning.
The recent incidents have contributed to a total count of 33,719 farm fires, marking a 31% decrease compared to the previous year's figures, which recorded 48,489 cases of stubble burning during the same period in 2022.
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Bathinda retains its position as the most polluted city in the state, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 319. Following closely are Jalandhar at 263, Ludhiana at 217, Patiala at 213, Khanna at 200, and Amritsar at 197 in terms of AQI levels.