Fewer stubble fires so far but number likely to pick up

PATIALA/KARNAL/NEW DELHI: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) that the wind direction will become north-northwesterly from October 12, bringing cool air from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana to Delhi. This also means that pollution from stubble burning in these states will be swept towards the Capital in the coming days.

There has been a marginal reduction in crop stubble fires this year compared to last year for the same period, but it is too early to say whether overall stubble fire numbers will reduce, officials said.

Farmers in Punjab and Hary- ana, however, are expecting fires to pick up next week and last for 10 to 15 days thereafter owing to the late harvest of paddy this year. “Harvest is very late this time because of untimely rains in September. The government has also directed us to harvest late because the crop was not ready in many parts. The number of fires will pick up now. Farmers have no option but to burn stubble because most of them haven’t got farm equipment to dispose stubble,” said Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Bharatiya Kisan Union, general secretary, Punjab.

Overall, Punjab and Haryana together have more than 700 crop stubble fire incidents till now. NASA earth data for October 10 also shows fewer fires this year compared to 2017.

In first 15 days of paddy har- vesting, Punjab has witnessed almost a 60% dip in stubble burning cases than last year. Against 1,021 paddy stubble burning cases from September 27 to October 10 last year, the Punjab Pollution Control Board, through satellite data, has recorded only 421 cases this time. More than half of the paddy straw burning cases (294) in the entire state, has been recorded from only one district— Amritsar.

“Because of rain, the harvesting season is delayed, and it will catch up in coming days, and so will increase the cases of stubble burning,” said a Punjab Pollution Control Board official. He added that field staff were finding it difficult to convince farmers, as farmer unions are opposing government’s drive against stubble burning, he added.