Punjab Sees 50% Dip in Post-Harvest Farm Fires, Yet No Effect on Delhi's Air Quality

Chandigarh: Farm fires in Punjab , often blamed for rise in Delhi's air pollution, have gone down by 50 per cent since last year in post-harvest period, with little effect on air quality in national capital.

From September 15 to October 27, Punjab has seen 1,995 farm fire cases as compared to 4,059 in corresponding period last year, as per data from Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.

farm fire incidents in period have gone down by 75 per cent since 2022. state recorded 8,147 farm fires in 2022 in this period.

After pdy harvesting in October and November, stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and states jacent to Delhi are said to contribute to pollution in Delhi. Pdy procurement is underway in Punjab.

On Sunday, Punjab saw 138 farm fires -- Ferozepur with highest such incidents, followed by Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib, according to data.

On same day in 2022 and 2023, state h seen 1,111 and 766 farm fires, respectively.

drop in farm fire cases, however, has not h a significant effect on air pollution in Delhi, where air quality was "very poor" with an AQI reing of 355.

As window for Rabi crops like wheat is very short after pdy harvest, some farmers set ir fields on fire to quickly clear off crop residue for sowing next crop.

With over 31 lakh hectares of pdy area, Punjab produces around 180-200 lakh tonnes of pdy straw every year.

Punjab recorded 36,663 farm fires in 2023, registering a 26 per cent drop in such incidents from year before.

state recorded 49,922 fire events in 2022, 71,304 in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019 and 50,590 in 2018 with many districts, including Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda and Amritsar, witnessing a large number of stubble-burning incidents.