Harvesting ends, farm fires start; 331 incidents reported in dist

With wheat harvesting coming to an end, farm fires are on rise in the state. Despite concentrated efforts, holding seminars on the issue and organising awareness camps, the farm fires are taking place all over the state.

As per records with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) here, a total 331 farm fire incidents have been reported in the district. These farm fires have taken place at many tehsils, including Jagraon, Khanna, Ludhiana (East), Ludhiana (West), Payal, Raikot, and Samrala.

Of these, maximum fire incidents totalling 91 were reported from Payal tehsil, followed by 84 in Jagraon and 54 in Raikot tehsil. Around 38 incidents of fire were reported from Ludhiana (East), 44 from Ludhiana (West), 14 from Samrala and six from Khanna area.

An official of the PPCB said that these were the reported cases while many others go unnoticed.

The official on the condition of anonymity said that though environmental compensation had been imposed on the defaulters, still it doesn’t stop farmers from continuing with this unethical practice. He said that the government had also started registering FIRs in many cases, but still there had been no respite from the farm fires, which were being reported from all districts.

These farm fires cause a lot of trouble, of which pollution remains the major one. With an increase in the number of farm fires, the air-quality index gets deteriorated within no time, posing serious threat to all living beings. Lately, a lot of emphasis is being laid on not to indulge in this unethical practice, but still there has been no respite from the problem.