Stubble burning: Punjab records 27 incidents in 5 days; Govt intensifies awareness campaign

Chandigarh: Punjab has seen 27 stubble burning cases in the last five days, even as authorities have launched an intensive campaign in hotspots of paddy straw burning in various districts to create awareness among farmers against this practice, officials said on Saturday.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is often blamed for the rise in air pollution in Delhi after the harvesting of the paddy crop in October and November. As the window for the Rabi crop -- wheat -- is very short after paddy harvest, some farmers set afire the crop residue in the fields to quickly clear them for sowing the next crop.

According to Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data, a total of 27 crop residue burning incidents took place in four districts from September 15.

A maximum of 18 stubble burning incidents have been reported in Amritsar, followed by five in Tarn Taran, three in Patiala and one in Ferozepur, it said.

A fine of Rs one lakh in the shape of environmental compensation has been imposed on farmers who set their crop residue on fire, according to the PPCB.

Recording of farm fire incidents, which started from September 15, will continue till November 30.

The Supreme Court on September 17 had asked the Punjab government why some errant farmers should not be arrested for indulging in stubble burning to send across a stern message.

The bench was hearing a suo-motu (on its own) plea relating to filling up vacancies in the state pollution control boards of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab.

Meanwhile, several villages in Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Bathinda and Barnala have been identified as hot spots of stubble burning incidents based on the number of farm fires.

Farmers in the hot spot villages will be asked not to burn crop residue, said a PPCB official on Saturday, adding that they will be sensitised about the ill effects of stubble burning.

Farmers will be encouraged about managing the paddy straw both in-situ (mixing crop residue in fields) and ex-situ (using stubble as fuel) methods, said the official.