Punjab reports 9% rise in stubble burning incidents from last year: CAQM

The joy of a clean Diwali might be a short lived one with stubble burning picking up pace in Punjab once again. There has been a 9 per cent increase in the number of stubble burning incidents compared to last year, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Thursday. 

The total paddy residue burning events reported in Punjab from September 15 to October 26 were 7,036 compared to 6,463 for the same period during the last year. 
 

CAQM stated that as per the satellite remote sensing data, up to October 24, only about 39 per cent of sown area in Punjab had been harvested and thus rising number of fire events is a matter of concern. 

While delayed and unseasonal rainfall in the first week of October held up the harvest, it is only now that the fields are being cleared and thus a spike in the number of incidents. CAQM further stated that about 70 per cent of farm fires during the current paddy harvesting season were reported only from six districts namely Amritsar, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Patiala and Tarn Taran. 

These Districts account for 4,899 cases as against a total of 7,036 incidents in Punjab. These traditional six hotspot Districts had also accounted for about 65 per cent of the total burning incidents during the last year for the same period. About 61 per cent (4,315) of the 7,036 reported stubble burning incidents were reported during the last six days alone. 

In Haryana, there is about 26 per cent reduction in paddy residue burning events far during the current year. The total number of farm fire events reported for the period September 15 to October 26 were 1,495 compared to 2,010 for the same period last year. 

The overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in the lower end of Very Poor category on Thursday. The air quality is likely to remain in the Very Poor category from Friday to Sunday. The outlook for subsequent 6 days is likely to remain largely in the Very Poor to Poor category.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research daily notification the overall share of stubble fire emissions over northwest region to Delhi’s PM2.5 is meagre. 

Punjab reported 1,111 stubble burning incidents on Thursday.