Farm fire cases dip 51% this season: Panel

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, November 3

Incidents of stubble burning have come down by over 51 per cent this season so far compared to the corresponding period last year, according to the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

“Stubble burning events in Punjab, Haryana, NCR districts of UP and Rajasthan and Delhi have come down from 43,918 in 2020 to 21,364 in 2021 during September 15-November 2,” it said in a statement. The reduction in fire counts was 51.35 per cent in the current year compared to the corresponding period last year. Between October 27 and November 2 this year, only 12,853 farm fires had been recorded as against 23,628 in the corresponding period last year, a reduction of 10,775 cases (45.6 per cent).

The panel said enforcement agencies had inspected 8,575 sites in Punjab, Haryana and NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh and an environmental compensation of around Rs 58 lakh had been imposed for crop residue burning.

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