Farm fires down to 18 in Punjab

Patiala, Mohali 28

After 18 more cases of farm fires were reported from across the state, the PPCB has decided to monitor these for two more days. Chairman, PPCB, Adarshpal Vig said the monitoring of farm fires would be conducted till November 30.

The number of districts, where paddy residue burning incidents were reported, has been reduced to six. Fazilka continues to be the hotspot with seven incidents followed by Kapurthala 3 while Bathinda, Jalandhar, Muktsar and SBS Nagar witnessed two cases of farm fires each.

Sources in the Agriculture Department said the monitoring period had been extended as cases of stubble burning continued to be reported in Fazilka.

The state reported 36,632 fire incidents in the 74-day long harvesting period starting from September 15.

Bathinda continues to remain the most polluted city of the state with an average AQI of 296 followed by Ludhiana 257, Jalandhar 204 Amritsar 195 and Patiala 123.