Punjab Sees Surge in Stubble Burning with 740% Increase in Farm Fires
Punjab has experienced a sudden surge in stubble burning after a relatively smoke-less October, according to data. The state witnessed a 740% increase on Sunday, with 1,068 farm fire incidents recorded – the highest in a single day during the current harvesting season. In contrast, only 127 stubble-burning incidents were reported on Saturday.
NASA’s Worldview satellite has captured images of the stubble-burning incidents in Punjab between October 25 and 29. These farm fires are depicted by red dots on the satellite images. The October 26 image shows an increase in the clusters of red dots compared to October 25. However, after a significant rise in the number of fires on October 27, there was a sharp decline on the following day (Saturday).
On Sunday, farm fires were seen across large parts of the state, as shown by the satellite images. The administration has now deployed its fire brigade team to extinguish the farm fires after being alerted by the satellite images. In cases where the fire brigade cannot reach, alternative methods are being used to extinguish the fires.
Despite the increasing trend this season, there has been a 57% decline in farm fires between September 15 and October 29 compared to last year. During this period, Punjab recorded a total of 5,254 farm fire incidents, while there were 12,112 incidents in the corresponding period last year. However, this decline can be attributed to floods and other unexpected weather phenomena that delayed stubble burning.
The Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) stated that harvesting activities are expected to peak in the coming weeks as the window for the Rabi crop, specifically wheat, is very short after the paddy harvest. Some farmers resort to setting their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue for sowing the next crop.
To address the issue, the Centre has allocated approximately Rs. 3,333 crore under the Crop Residue Management Scheme to the state governments of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi. These funds support the subsidised procurement of machines for individual farmers, custom hiring centres, and cooperatives for managing paddy straw in-situ, as well as providing baling/raking machines and equipment for ex-situ applications.
