Unprecedented rise in farm fires across Haryana

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora

Karnal, October 9

The number of farm fire cases in the state is on the rise, with farmers continuing to defy the ban on stubble-burning. A data of the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC) revealed that the state has recorded a three-and-a-half-fold rise in farm fires in comparison to the corresponding period last year.

The state has witnessed 291 cases from October 9 to September 15 this season, while in the corresponding period last year, the number was 81 and 101 in 2021, according to the data.

In the past week, HARSAC spotted 171 cases across the state. Fourteen cases were reported on Monday and 55 cases on Sunday, which is the highest in a single day. Thirteen cases were reported on Saturday, 19 on Friday, 24 on Thursday, 29 on Wednesday and 17 on last Tuesday.

With 58 cases, Ambala district is at the top in the tally, followed by Kurukshetra (49), Fatehabad (33), Sonepat (30) and Yamunanagar (28). As many as 25 cases have been reported in Jind district, 19 each in Karnal and Kaithal districts, 10 in Panipat, nine in Hisar, seven in Palwal, two in Jhajjar and one each in Rohtak and Sirsa district.

As per the data of the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality of various districts is getting worse. Until 4 pm on October 9, Jind and Kurukshetra districts were in “poor” category, with an AQI of above 200. Ambala, Fatehabad, Karnal, Kaithal and Yamunanagar were in “moderate” category, with an AQI between 100 and 200.

The impact of crop residue burning can be seen early morning or late evening across the state because of extremely low wind speed. People are experiencing itchiness in the eyes and sore throat. “The air is getting toxic and in the coming days, it will be worse as harvesting will pick pace in Haryana and Punjab,” said Nitesh, a resident of Kaithal.

Narihari Bangar, Director, Haryana Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Department, said all DCs and DDAs had been asked to keep a check on stubble-burning cases. FIRs were being registered and fines were also being imposed on them. Farmers had been advised to manage stubble and earn profits, for which awareness camps were being organised, he added.

Over 3,200 farmers seek incentive

• Over 3,200 farmers have sought incentive for not burning paddy stubble in over 28,400 acres in Kurukshetra. As per data of the Agriculture Department, nearly 55% harvesting has been completed in the district.
• The government is offering an incentive of Rs 1,000 per acre for in-situ and ex-situ stubble management. About 2.82 lakh acres belonging to 43,000 farmers was identified for the purpose. Over 3.32 lakh tonnes of stubble is generated in a season. If farmers manage it, they can get Rs 28.2-cr benefit.
• So far 84 farm fires have been reported in the district and over Rs 2 lakh has been recovered as environment compensation charge (ECC).
• Agriculture Officer Darshan Kumar said: “We have got the registration of 3,220 farmers. More farmers will be raising claims in the coming days. They can get the registration done by November 30. Harvesting is still on and farmers are being motivated to avail of the incentive.”
• Last year, 379 cases of farm fires were reported in the district. The department had recovered Rs 9.72 lakh ECC.
• Dr Surender Malik, Deputy Director Agriculture, stated: “We are expecting a large number of registrations by October-end.”

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