31.5% decline in stubble-burning cases this year

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New Delhi, December 5

Punjab registered a reduction of 29.99 per cent and neighbouring Haryana a significant 47.60 per cent decline in the paddy crop residue burning events this year, which the Environment Ministry attributed to “vigorous and consistent efforts” made by Union and state governments and other stakeholders.

Overall Punjab, Haryana, NCR-UP, NCR-Rajasthan and the Delhi-NCT saw the stubble-burning cases coming down from 78,550 in 2021 to 53,792 in 2022, a reduction of 31.5 per cent as per figures based on Standard ISRO Protocol for monitoring paddy crop residue burning events between September 15 and November 30 in the five regions.

Though there was an overall reduction in the area monitored, two districts of Punjab (Bathinda and Fazilka), one in the NCR district of UP (Bulandshahr) and one of Haryana (Yamunanagar) reported significantly higher number of fires as compared to the corresponding period last year.

In Punjab, the five hotspot districts were Sangrur, Bathinda, Firozepur, Muktsar and Moga, recording a total of 21,882 cases, 43.83 per cent of the total. In 2021, there were 11 districts with a fire count of more than 3,000 contributing to 79.6 per cent of the total fires reported in Punjab. This year, there were seven districts with more than 3,000 fire counts contributing to 57 per cent of the total. The single day highest fire counts in Punjab were 3,916 in 2022 as compared to 5,327 in 2021, a reduction of about 26.5 per cent, said officials.

In Haryana, the five hotspot districts with maximum number of farm fire counts this year were Fatehabad, Kaithal, Jind, Sirsa and Kurukshetra, which recorded 2,548 fire counts, 69.6 per cent of the total fires.

These five districts reported 4,644 fire counts last year, a reduction of 45.1 per cent. The single day highest fire counts in Haryana were 250 in 2022 as compared to 363 in 2021, a reduction of about 31.1 per cent.