Punjab continues to struggle with the rising incidences of stubble burning across the state with its own cities feeling the brunt. As the state reported 2023 incidents of farm fires on Wednesday taking the total number this season to 22981, Bathinda experienced deteriorating air quality recording an air quality index of 343 — falling in the “very poor” category.
There was no respite in sight even a day after the Supreme Court reprimanded the state of Punjab, issuing strict directions to ensure the stopping of crop residue burning “forthwith”. continuing to top the list, Sangrur district recorded the maximum number of stubble burning incidents in the state on Wednesday with 466 active cases.
As per the data available with the Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, out of the total 2,003 stubble burning incidents, Sangrur continued to top with 466 such cases, followed by 221 in Bathinda, 216 in Barnala, 150 in Faridkot, 131 in Mansa, 106 in Patiala, 103 in Ferozepur and 96 in Ludhiana, and so on.
Of the total 22,981 farm fires recorded from September 15 till November 8, Sangrur is leading with highest number of stubble burning cases of 4,070, followed by 2,176 in Ferozepur, 1,888 in Tarn Taran, 1,719 in Mansa, 1,524 in Patiala, 1,454 in Amritsar, 1,436 in Bathinda, 1,129 in Barnala, 1,089 in Ludhiana and 1,014 in Faridkot.
Bathinda reported AQI at 348, followed by Mandi Gobindgarh at 338, Ludhiana 292, Patiala 267, Jalandhar 266, Khanna 253 and Amritsar 240. The Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, saw an AQI of 201. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
Interestingly, NASA’s worldview satellite has captured images of toxic smog stretching from Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal. The smog is exacerbated by an increase in farm fires in North India, according to satellite data. according to NASA data, the number of farm fires has increased dramatically since October 29, when the state reported 740 percent increase with 1,068 farm fire incidents.
The national capital, New Delhi, has topped the list of the world's most polluted cities for the last six days, with the air quality index reaching 500 in some areas on Wednesday morning. It has been placed under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of anti-pollution guidelines, and diesel trucks and construction activities have been prohibited.
Two facilities to reduce stubble burning in 40k acres in Punjab
Compressed biogas developer, EverEnviro Resource Management Private Limited, on Wednesday signed an off-take agreement with Torrent Gas to be facilitated by GAIL India Limited to reduce stubble burning in 40,000 acres of fields in Punjab, a major cause of smog over the Delhi NCR. As per the agreement, signed under CGD Synchronisation scheme, the biogas will be produced by the company's two facilities in Sangrur and Patiala. Each plant is slated to daily produce approximately 15 tonnes per day of compressed biogas or bio CNG and is capable of utilizing over 40,000 metric tonnes of paddy residue annually. Collectively these plants have the capacity to produce over 25,000 tonnes fermented organic manure annually.
Punjab Police designates nodal officer to check stubble burning; SHO's to patrol to check farm fires
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday asked the police officers to work in tandem with the civil administration to prevent stubble burning in the state and also appointed Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla as the police nodal officer to monitor action against stubble burning.
Yadav ordered all the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police of the State to devise a foolproof action plan against organized crime, drug trafficking, and stubble burning in the State.
DGP’s directions came during a state-level law and order review meeting via video conference to review action against organized crime, drug trafficking, and stubble burning in the State which was attended by all the senior police officers, range ADGPs, IGs or DIGs, CPs or SSPs, DSPs and all the SHOs of the Punjab.
Stressing the need to work in tandem with the Civil Administration to prevent stubble burning in the state, the DGP ordered all CPs and SSPs to hold daily meetings with the District Magistrates, besides ensuring that the SHOs should personally patrol in their jurisdictions and take steps to stop stubble burning immediately. He also directed all the CPs and SSPs to divide the districts into sectors and depute a Gazetted Officer as charge of each sector.
“The Police Nodal Officer shall issue suitable directions, hold meetings, conduct tours, and collect and collate relevant information and put up to the DGP Punjab and the Chief Secretary so that monitoring of the actions being undertaken by the Police to ensure compliance of the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court is done in an effective manner,” read the order.
Sharing more details, the official spokesperson said that depending on the area and size of the Police Station, a sufficient number of additional patrolling parties are being activated with immediate effect. He said that the Civil Administration and local district police have been working together to prevent stubble burning in the State. Liaison and coordination is maintained with the Fire Department for the deployment of fire tenders, he added.
A Spokesperson also said that the district Police has been directed to engage farmers, citizens, and various stakeholders to sensitize them about the ill effects of the stubble burning, which is also a violation of law and action and action could be initiated against them.