Farmers Movement Archive

240% rise in Punjab farm fires: Centre

NEW DELHI: Punjab accounted for 82% of stubble burning cases among three states, along with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, between October 1 and 23, which contributed heavily to foul air choking the NCR, the Centre said. Track the pollution level in your cityOn October 23, satellites detected 1,471 incidents in the three states and Punjab accounted for 86%, or 1,267 cases, Haryana 133 and UP 71. “There were 14,326 cases in three states between October 1 and 23, which are distributed as 11,796, 1,944 and 586 in Punjab, Haryana and UP, respectively,” the Centre said, adding cases in Punjab were 2.4 times higher than last year. Punjab accounted for over 80% of farm fire incidentsDuring the same period last year, there were 4,889 stubble burning cases in Punjab. This current year, 11,796 stubble burning events were reported, 2.4 times higher than last year, the Centre said. Both Haryana and UP registered lower number of stubble burning incidents this year as compared to last year during the same period. In Haryana, it decreased by 30% from 2,806 last year to 1,944 this year. In UP, it decreased by 33% from 879 to 586. “Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur in Punjab recorded the highest number of events, while in Haryana, Kaithal, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts recorded more number of burning events,” the Centre said. The SC is scheduled to take up the issue for hearing on Monday and this data collated by the Centre from three states is likely to be presented to the court. Farmers agitation against the farm bills were identified as one of the major reasons for crop burning in Punjab. “Farmers in districts where more burning events are reported grow vegetable crops in between the season of paddy harvesting and wheat sowing. In order to prepare fields for vegetable plantation in a short window, they prefer to burn paddy stubbles,” the Centre stated. “Due to early sowing of paddy during the current year, early harvesting has taken place. The harvested area during the current year is more than last year and accordingly, the burning events are more during the current year,” it said. On the working of the Justice M B Lokur commission appointed by the SC, the Centre said inputs from Punjab and Haryana indicated that “field surveillance by the commission has yet not started”. The commission has sought preliminary data on paddy area, areas of stubble burning, paddy varieties, data on stubble burning for last three years, monitoring mechanism in the form of questionnaires which have been supplied by the states, it added. On the status of supply of machinery to farmers to take out stubble from fields, the Centre said in the last two years, more than 1,12,162 machines were supplied to individual farmers and custom hiring centres (Punjab 51,762, Haryana 36,821and Uttar Pradesh 23,579). “As on October 23, against the target of 27,000 machines, Punjab has distributed 14,000 machines (52% of target). In Haryana, 13,700 machines were distributed against the target of 19,700 machines (70% of target). In UP, 10,346 machines were distributed against the target of 15,039 machines (69% of target).

The Times of India

2020-10-26

Delhi