Farm fires drop, Haryana's air quality likely to improve

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 7

The state, especially the National Capital Region (NCR), can hope for better air quality this festive season with the number of stubble-burning cases coming downing drastically during the post-paddy harvest period.

The number of active fire locations (AFLs) for the period September 15 to October 4, mapped by the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC) through remote sensing has come down from 160 in 2020 to just 21 this year. In fact, 16 of the 22 districts have reported zero AFLs this year, officials told The Tribune.

What is more creditable is the fact that eight districts, Ambala, Hisar, Jind, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Sirsa and Rohtak, falling in 13 red zone districts (traditionally reporting large number of AFLs), reported no incidents.

Karnal, which reported a maximum of 46 AFLs last year, reported four such incidents with Kurukshetra (31 in 2020) 12 cases. Ambala reported zero cases as against 22 last year. In Kaithal, two cases were reported this year as against last year’s 21.

Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) claimed that the Haryana Government’s proactive strategy of reducing farm fires and increasing area with zero stubble burning had paid rich dividends. “With that end in mind, the state government has appointed senior officers as nodal officers in 13 red zone districts for effective crop residue management,” she added.

Notably, the Haryana Government has set apart an amount of about Rs 200 crore in 2021-22 for the crop residue management, which included liberal incentives to the farmers.

Punjab sees 260 cases in similar period

Punjab reported 260 stubble-burning cases between September 15 and October 4 as against 1,603 in the corresponding period last year. Amritsar reported a maximum of 161 cases as against 1,015 last year. Tarn Taran reported 34 cases (317 in 2020) and Ludhiana 19 cases (34 in 2020).

• 16 districts reported no active fire locations
• 8 red zone districts reported no farm fires
• Rs200 cr set aside for crop residue mgmt

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