Farm fires down 56% in Amritsar this year

The district administration’s efforts to check rising cases of stubble burning have shown remarkable results this year, with a 56 per cent reduction in such incidents compared to last year. Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh said this success was possible due to proper management, awareness campaigns and cooperation from farmers.

During a meeting with officials on stubble management, the Deputy Commissioner said last year, 633 incidents of stubble burning were reported till November 7, while this year, only 280 fields have been affected so far. He appreciated the hard work of officials and urged them to continue their efforts in the coming days to help farmers complete the wheat sowing season smoothly.

The Deputy Commissioner said stubble burning damages the valuable organic matter in the soil, which is essential for soil health and fertility. It also causes air pollution and affects road visibility, creating problems for traffic.

The DC said district administration teams are regularly keeping a check on farm fires and teams are dispatched to the spot after information is received from remote sensing centre. A majority of the farmers have already started alternate management of the crop residue, he said.

Meanwhile, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Rohit Gupta has extended the ban on stubble burning in the district from November 14 to December 14. The order has been issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which empowers the administration to act in the interest of public safety and agricultural protection.

The ADM stated that farmers must use Super SMS or SMS machines attached to combine harvesters during paddy harvesting to manage the residue instead of burning it, especially in areas where stubble baling is not practiced.

The district administration has urged farmers to follow these directions strictly to protect the environment and maintain soil fertility. While most of the paddy crop has already been harvested, the late-sown basmati crop is still standing in the fields awaiting harvesting.