The number of stubble-burning incidents in northern India surpassed the total count of the past two years combined, recent data from the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (Creams) said.
The data showed that the region comprising Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, witnessed 682 stubble-burning incidents from September 15 to October 2 this year. This was higher than the combined 633 incidents in 2021 and 2022 for the period.
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Creams, managed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), further highlighted that the retreat of the southwest monsoon from northern India and an early harvest have contributed to the rise in instances of stubble burning in the six states.
The Punjab government has also committed to reducing paddy stubble burning incidents by over 50% this year compared to 2022 and aims to eliminate farm fires in six districts of the state.
However, a few reports have revealed a 65% surge in stubble-burning cases in Punjab this year to 456, with Amritsar district reporting most of them at 333.
In neighbouring Haryana, the rise was astonishing, with over 1,000% surge. The state reported 120 cases this year, as against a mere nine cases last year.
Last week, Haryana’s chief secretary, Sanjeev Kaushal, stressed the need for decisive actions against those violating anti-stubble-burning regulations.
During September 15–30, 2022, there were 10 incidents in Uttar Pradesh and one in Delhi. However, this year, Uttar Pradesh reported 57 cases of stubble burning, while Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan had 30 and 18 cases, respectively.
It may be noted that the Union government has allocated Rs 600 crore to states for the management of paddy straws. Out of this, approximately Rs 105 crore has already been disbursed to Punjab while Rs 90 crore has been allocated to Haryana.
