AirCare Centre fellows to help combat farm fires

The district administration has inducted fellows of the AirCare Centre into the official task force led by Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney. They will play a practical, field-oriented role this harvest season — helping farmers access and operate residue management machinery, resolving queries on both in-situ and ex-situ solutions, and facilitating smoother coordination between farmer groups, service providers and the administration.

As Punjab strengthens its efforts to promote cleaner air and sustainable farming practices, the district administration took an unprecedented step: inducting fellows of the AirCare Centre into the official task force. The initiative reflects a model of collaborative governance, bringing together government, farmers and civil society to support solutions that work on the ground.

The fellows will play a practical, field-oriented role this harvest season — helping farmers access and operate residue management machinery, resolving queries on both in-situ and ex-situ solutions, and facilitating smoother coordination between farmer groups, service providers and the administration. Their presence will also support real-time monitoring of fire incidents and ensure farmers have a direct line to timely assistance when challenges arise.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney framed the issue in broader terms: "Farm fires are not just an agricultural issue but a public health concern. With the AirCare Centre fellows becoming part of our task force, we are strengthening our ability to support farmers with solutions that are practical, timely and sustainable."

Civil society leaders echoed the sentiments. Dr Sita, Assistant Professor of Botany at Khalsa College for Women, stressed on the alignment of field experience with administrative leadership, while Gurpreet Kaur of Clean Air Punjab, highlighted the partnership as a model for "cleaner air, healthier communities and sustainable farming practices". As Sehajpreet Singh, an AirCare fellow, put it: "Our role is to walk alongside farmers, provide alternatives to burning, and ensure that machinery and technical advice reach at right time."

This initiative underscores a broader trend in Punjab's climate action journey: blending of research, farmer engagement and governance into one framework. If successful, Amritsar's experiment could serve as a blueprint for other districts — showing that farm fires can be addressed when state capacity and social trust come together.