Punjab farm fire cases inch towards 2K, Sangrur tops the chart

Tribune News Service

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, November 1

As many as 1,921 cases of farm fires were reported on Wednesday. Sangrur topped the list with 345 cases in the district in a single day. The total count this season has mounted to 9,594.

In Tarn Taran, 226 fire cases were reported on Wednesday while Ferozepur recorded 200 stubble-burning incidents, 157 were reported in Mansa, while 127 in Patiala.

Bathinda continues to be most polluted

• Bathinda continued to remain the most-polluted city of the state with an AQI of 279 followed by Ludhiana 259, Amritsar 214, Patiala 180 and Jalandhar 169
• According to health experts, such conditions may trigger breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases

The Tribune had highlighted that the farm fires would pick up in the beginning of November as farmers had to prepare the field for sowing wheat crop. November 1 to 15 is considered to be ideal conditions for sowing wheat crops.

Medical Superintendent (MS), Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Dr Harnam Singh Rekhi said there had been a manifold rise in the cases of respiratory tract infection due to the rise in the pollution level.

He said besides the city, many patients from rural areas, especially children with breathing issues, coughing and sneezing were turning up at the OPD of the hospital.

He said patients were turning up from both rural and urban areas with symptoms of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, frequent respiratory infections, including allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, asthma and excess mucus in lungs.

The Health Department in Patiala on Tuesday issued an advisory to avoid prolonged exposure for people with allergies.

#Agriculture #Environment #Farm Fires #Pollution #Sangrur #Tarn Taran