Stubble Fires

Punjab on Wednesday saw the season's highest single-day spike in stubble burning with 283 instances, official data showed. The latest addition took the total farm fire count since September 15 to 1,216. Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Sangrur and Ferozepur districts accounted for the bulk of crop residue burning cases, according to Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data, as many farmers continued to disregard the state government's appeal to not set the crop residue on fire According to the data, the highest farm fire incidents were reported from Tarn Taran at 296, followed by Amritsar, 173, Sangrur, 170, Ferozepur, 123, Patiala, 73, Bathinda, 61, and Kapurthala at 48. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is often blamed for the rise in air pollution in Delhi-NCR. As the window for the Rabi crop, wheat, is very short after paddy harvest in October-November, some farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off crop residues. According to PPCB data, the total area under paddy ...

The Supreme Court noted that while stricter measures may be necessary to deter violations, the focus need not be on mass prosecutions but on sending a signal to protect air quality

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that cultivators who indulge in stubble burning will not receive benefits from farmer welfare schemes in the state from May 1. Yadav flagged the issue on Thursday and said the state government will not procure crops at minimum support price (MSP) next year from farmers involved in stubble burning. "Madhya Pradesh is an agricultural state. An increase in stubble burning after harvests has harmed the environment in many ways, including air pollution. To solve this issue, the state government has already banned the activity. Despite this, if any farmer burns stubble in his field, he will not receive the benefit of Chief Minister Kisan Kalyan Yojana," he said while reviewing the performance of the revenue department. Yadav said stubble burning destroys nutrients in the soil and reduces land fertility. He said in view of protecting the environment, ensuring soil conservation and land productivity, the state government's decision will co

Despite reports of declining farm fires in Punjab, many now occur later in the day, possibly evading satellite detection

Punjab farmers have found a way to outwit Nasa satellite surveillance in the ongoing stubble-burning crisis by strategically timing their fires

The notice sought an explanation from the officials as to why stubble-burning cases were on the rise and why the CAQM's orders to reduce air pollution had not been adhered to

The stricter penalties come in the wake of sharp criticism from the Supreme Court, which had previously termed the earlier penalties 'toothless'

Terms air pollution monitoring panel in NCR as 'toothless wonder'; summons Haryana chief secretary to explain non-compliance and lack of strict measures against offenders

Environment analysts say fire burning has just begun, with peak stubble burning expected in late October through early November

Minimum support price has been a bone of contention between the farmers in Punjab and the state and Centre

Punjab on Monday reported 634 farm fires with farmers in many areas continuing to set ablaze paddy straw despite police making persistent efforts to prevent stubble burning. The Punjab Police said it has registered 1,084 FIRs against erring farmers and imposed penalties worth Rs 1.87 crore in 7,990 cases since November 8. With the police continuing to make efforts to prevent stubble burning, Punjab witnessed 634 farm fires, the lowest since Diwali, said Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla. Shukla is the police's nodal officer with a mandate to keep a check on stubble burning. "This is consecutively for the third day that the state witnessed significant downfall of at least 28.8 per cent stubble burning cases," he said. Punjab recorded 637 and 740 farm fires on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Shukla added. Of the 634 farm fires reported on Monday, Fazilka recorded the highest at 168, followed by 98 in Moga, 97 in Ferozepur, 62 in Muktsar and 55 in ..

Delhi air quality: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will on Thursday hold a meeting with departments on the effective implementation of measures outlined in the Centre's air pollution control plan

Nine out of 11 state capitals analysed in India recorded higher pollution in the first 12 hours after Diwali celebrations this year as compared to last year.

A group of farmers allegedly defied the orders of a farm fire prevention team, and forced an officer to set a heap of stubble on fire in Punjab's Bathinda district, drawing condemnation from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. A purported video of the entire incident also surfaced on social media. Police have lodged an FIR in the matter after an order by Mann on Saturday. The chief minister termed the incident as an inhuman crime against the people of the state. Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray had also written to the senior superintendent of police, asking him to register an FIR against the farmers for preventing the official from discharging his duty. The incident took place in Mehma Sarja village on Friday when a team led by a special supervisor went there to check stubble burning incidents. The DC said the official was surrounded by a group of 50-60 farmers with allegiance to a farmers' body, took him to a nearby field and forced him to put a heap of stubble on fire.

Smoke from the burning of crop stubble lingers over most of north India for weeks during the cold months of November and December, with air quality deteriorating to hazardous levels in several areas

Under the campaign, the authorities are appealing to farmers to "donate" the paddy stubble to the "gauthans", the livestock sheds

Farm fire incidents crossed the 30,000 mark in Punjab with the state witnessing 2,487 stubble-burning cases on Monday. With fresh crop residue burning incidents, the cumulative farm fire cases from September 15 to November 7, rose to 32,486, according to the Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data. The state reported 57,696 and 37,933 farm fires during the same period in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Out of a total of 2,487 farm fire incidents on Monday, Ferozepur witnessed 353 crop residue burning incidentsthe highest in the state, followed by 268 in Moga, 257 in Muktsar, 256 in Batala, 218 in Faridkot, 202 in Barnala, 180 in Sangrur, 177 in Fazilka and 165 in Mansa, according to the data. Punjab had seen 4,716 and 5,199 active fire incidents on November 7 in 2020 and 2021, respectively, as per the data. Currently, the districts in the Malwa region are reporting a rising number of stubble-burning incidents. Due to stubble burning, many places in Haryana on Monday evening

Industry players and farmers said there were other reasons for the slower-than-targeted adoption

Violation of the Delhi government's ban on plying of certain vehicles owing to the rise in pollution will attract a penalty of Rs 20,000, a senior official said Friday. Delhi's air quality remained "severe" for a second day on the trot, with stubble burning accounting for 30 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in the capital, according to the Central Pollution Control Board and SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Ministry of Earth and Sciences. Delhi government has decided to implement the anti-pollution curbs recommended by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), including a ban on non-BS VI diesel-run light motor vehicles. Also, any diesel truck would not be allowed entry into Delhi except for those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services. However, all CNG and electric trucks would be allowed to enter Delhi, according to an order by the Transport Department. Diesel-operated medium and heavy goods vehicles registered in Delhi will not be allowed to

Punjab reported 1,111 stubble burning incidents on Thursday