At 5,953, Punjab records highest farm fires in a day
RED MONDAY Supreme Court asks Punjab, Haryana and UP governments to immediately stop burning of crop residue, also reprimands Centre for inaction
LUDHIANA: As the cloud cover that militated against an effective mapping of stubble burning cases in the region cleared, Punjab on Monday reported the highest number of farm fires this season – 5,953 in a single day – according to data from the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
To make matters worse, officials and experts expected the incidents of paddy straw burning to continue till at least mid-November because the harvest season is far from over. The Supreme Court has asked Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to stop stubble burning.
Before Monday, the highest number of stubble burning incidents — 3,135 — was reported on October 30. With Monday’s count, the total number of farm fires reported from the state was 31,267, according to PAU, which reports farm fire incidents based on satellite images every day.
In 2018, a total of 50,450 farm fires were reported during paddy harvest season between October 15 and November 15.
Anil Sood, a senior scientist at the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, PAU, said the number of paddy residue burning could increase in the coming days, continuing the trend that started on Diwali, October 28, when 3,105 incidents were reported.
“The number is not unusual,” Sood said, adding that every year there is a spurt in farm fires in the first week of November as the farmers are in a hurry to clear the farms for wheat sowing, while the moisture level in the soil is high and before the temperature drops too sharply. Stubble burning contributes about 17.9% to 39.5% to the particulate matter air pollution in the northern plains. The Punjab government had registered 2,923 cases against the farmers and issued orders for recovery of environment compensation from 1,585 farmers. But, this is only 13% of the total farm fire incidents reported from the state.
Sukhwinder Singh, a farmer of Ludhiana’s Samrala, said that profits from agriculture are falling, making it practically impossible for farmers to dispose of stubble without burning it. Another farmer said that since there is limited time before sowing the winter wheat crop, burning is the cheapest way to clear the farms. The 40,000 machines distributed by the government not adequate to clear paddy straw in about 3.5 million hectares of paddy farms. “The government is doing its bit but the farmers have to cooperate also,” said PAU vicechancellor BS Dhillon.
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We hope to end the season at anywhere between 40,000 and 45,000 cases, lower than last year’s 50,450 incidents. A STATE AGRI DEPT OFFICIAL
CHANDIGARH: Respite from stubble fires and the subsequent pollution is unlikely as one-third of paddy is yet to be harvested.
To date, 120 lakh tonne paddy has arrived in the state’s mandis against expected production of 170 lakh tonne. On an average, 200 lakh tonne paddy stubble is produced along with the grain.
Of this, around 50 lakh tonne is used in biomass plants, with the rest either burnt or mixed with the soil. Farmers say that with deadline of wheat sowing at November 15, cases will only go up. Agriculture department reports say that 34-38 lakh acre has been cleared of stubble, with the remaining 14-18 lakh acre likely to be shorn of the waste within 7-10 days.
This short period, though, makes the state vulnerable to more farm fires that, by the admission of state government officials themselves, are expected to close the season at above 40,000 cases.
As on November 4, the number of farm fires reported is 31,267.
“We hope to end the season at anywhere between 40,000 and 45,000 cases,” said an agriculture department officer, adding that this particular number would still be lower than last season’s cases of 50,450 by 10-20%.
Agriculture department secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said, “Despite the government’s best efforts, it may take a few more days for the stubble burning to stop. We are and will continue to do our best.”
This season, paddy was sown over 28 lakh hectare (69 lakh acre), of which the aromatic variety of basmati was sown over 6.3 lakh hectare (15.5 lakh acre).
Paddy stubble of coarse variety sown over 21.7 lakh hectare (54 lakh acre) is not used as dry fodder, due to the high silica content, so it is vulnerable to be set on fire. Basmati straw, however, is used as dry fodder.
REMEDIES AND ACTION
In a two-year programme, the Centre sanctioned ₹665 crore to supply machinery on subsidy for in-situ management of paddy straw. Last year, 26,500 machines were supplied, but the state government pleaded that the scheme started late.
This year, 16,000 machines like happy seeders, mulchers, bailers and super straw management systems have been distributed so far. In a sign that it was shifting the goalposts, the state government also maintained, this season, that an incentive of ₹100 per quintal be given to farmers as compensation for not burning stubble.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has also said that the Centre providing the compensation was the only solution.
With farmers remaining defiant, the state government has also baulked from taking action. Of 31,267 cases, punitive action has been initiated in only around 3,000 (less than 10%); these include 202 FIRs, 1,136 red entries in revenue records of defiant farmers, and orders that compensation for damage caused to the environment be recovered from 1,585 farmers.