Punjab: At least 47 incidents of stubble burning have been reported from various parts of Punjab over five days, with the highest number occurring in the flood-affected Amritsar district. As of Friday evening, 32 cases were reported in Amritsar, six in Patiala, and five in Tarn Taran. One case each was reported from Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, and Bathinda. Meanwhile, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has imposed a total fine of ₹50,000 on the guilty farmers. No farmers have been arrested. These data were compiled by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana. The central government began recording stubble burning incidents on September 15th and will continue this process until November 30th. This development comes at a time when the Supreme Court has asked the state government why erring farmers should not be arrested to send a strong message. Stubble burning has been considered a major cause of winter pollution in New Delhi and its surrounding areas.
The Supreme Court directed the Air Quality Management Commission, the central body monitoring air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Central Pollution Control Board, and state boards to recommend measures within three weeks to reduce pollution before winter. However, agricultural experts have warned that despite the worst floods in Punjab in the last three decades, the impact of stubble burning may be minimal. Agricultural expert Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal said, “The floods have damaged paddy crops on approximately 2 lakh acres, of which approximately 3.4 lakh hectares were sown. The crop is still wet, and due to the delay in harvesting, farmers will have less than a month to prepare their fields for the wheat crop, which could lead to an increase in stubble burning around Diwali.” He further said, “This reflects the government’s poor planning. Stubble management is the biggest task of this season and should be planned in advance.”
Farmer leaders said they have no intention of polluting the environment. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “Stubble burning harms Punjab more than Delhi. But governments have turned it into a money-making industry, with corporate companies selling anti-smog guns and air purifiers.” Reiterating his demand for an incentive of Rs 300 per quintal for paddy residue, Rajewal said, “A (crop residue management) machine costs Rs 1 lakh or more even after subsidy, and is used only for a few days. This is a huge burden for a small farmer with three to five acres of land.” Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who had undertaken a 131-day hunger strike against the Centre demanding assured prices for crops, urged the court to ensure compliance with its 2019 order directing the government to provide incentives and residue management machines.
Punjab: Stubble burning ban flouted, 47 cases in five days
