With farm fires in Delhi's neighbouring States causing severe air pollution in the Capital, the Centre has set up a high-level committee to suggest specific varieties of crops other than paddy in areas where crop burning is higher. Additional Secretary Nagesh Singh of the Ministry of Rural Development will head the committee.
"It has been observed that districts having larger area under paddy have reported fewer farm fire incidents and vice versa. Area-specific approach needs to be implemented. This means the committee should look into other alternatives rather than paddy," said officials on condition of anonymity.
As per data, as many as 60,792 incidents of farm fires took place till November 12 this year as compared to 69,387 during the same period in 2017.
The high number of crop fires — 57,756 as per NASA data till November 15 in Punjab and Haryana this year as compared with 55,404 last year.
The data says however there was reduction in farm fires of 12.39 per cent despite spending over Rs 557 crore in three States. As per data, 49,398 incidents reported of farm fires in Punjab; 6,817 in Haryana and 4,577 in UP.
Top sources said that the committee has been asked to make assessments of the number of agri machinery distributed in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh; assessment and impact of the machinery used by the farmers; assessment of the benefits accrued to the farmers; suggesting alternative more remunerative and advantageous scheme use of crop residue in respective States and recommendation of other inputs for making long term policy.
The other members of the committee include DDG (Engg) ICAR, Principal Secretaries of agriculture departments of Punjab,Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and Joint Secretary of Agriculture Ministry.
NASA satellites show farm fires in Punjab was higher this year than in 2017. Just four districts in the state recorded an almost 30 per cent rise in crop fires while all the rest registered a decrease, eight districts by more than 25 per cent, according to Indian satellite data with the Government.
The four districts of Punjab where burning increased this year are Ferozepur ( up by 42 per cent), Muktsar (38 per cent),Moga (13 per cent) and Bhatinda (12 per cent). Stubble burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana is one of the major causes for poor air quality in Delhi. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at a high 642 this year.This year too, the pollution level spiked to "severe-plus emergency" level due to rampant burning of firecrackers leading to the formation of blanket of smoke across Delhi.