Amritsar reports 73 incidents of farm fire so far

Amritsar has reported 73 farm fire incidents this season, accounting for nearly 75% of Punjab’s total 98 cases, according to data from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre. The district had a lone incident on Thursday, with no cases reported today, likely due to drizzling. In the previous paddy season, Amritsar recorded 1,444 incidents, which made up 3.94% of Punjab’s total.

District officials attribute the high number of cases to the early start of harvesting in the area. The administration has confirmed crop residue burning in 25 cases and has fined farmers a total of Rs 52,500, collecting Rs 32,500 as of September 24. In contrast, last year saw Rs 24.50 lakh in fines for paddy stubble burning. Fines are now collected on the spot, and red entries are being marked in farmers’ revenue records as a deterrent.