Air quality gets better with dip in stubble fires
CHANDIGARH/AMBALA: The air quality of some Haryana cities on Thursday improved a notch and the state reported a dip in the number of farm fires by half, with few districts reporting nil to one incident of stubble burning.
According to data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of Kurukshetra, which was recorded as the worst in the country on Wednesday, improved from ‘severe’ (449) to ‘very poor’( 399).
The Ambala district, which had the second worst AQI in the country the same day, recorded an improved AQI of 336 from 447. The AQI of Yamunanagar too improved from ‘very poor’ (371) to ‘poor’ (296).
Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat districts reported ‘very poor’ AQI, while the air quality of Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Jind and Rohtak cities was categorised as ‘poor’.
Officials dealing with issues of environment say undoubtedly the stubble smoke has been one of the key causes behind the rise in AQI. However, a western disturbance has been active in the region for the past few days, causing cloudy weather and low temperature during the day.
“It is because of temperature inversion that the AQI goes up and it stays high until rain or windy weather conditions hits the region,” said an official who deals with weather related matters.
Farm fires dip by half
Haryana on Thursday reported nearly 50% decrease in the farm fires. There were fresh 35 incidents of stubble burning registered in the state. The state on Wednesday recorded 69 farm fires.
With the fresh farm fires, the total number stubble burning cases in the country rose to 2,728. The highest 18 incidents of farm fire were reported from Fatehabad district where a total of 573, and the second highest in the state, stubble burning cases have been recorded.
As per the official data, one farm fire each was reported in Bhiwani and Hisar, two each in Jind and Kaithal, three each in Karnal and Panipat. Five farm fires were recorded in Sirsa.
Not a single case of farm fire was recorded in Ambala, Sonepat, Kurukshetra, Charkhi Dadri and Faridabad.
Of the total, the highest number of crop residue burning events has been detected in Kaithal (621). Other districts with large number of farm fires include Jind (322), Kurukshetra (289), Karnal (277), Ambala (207), Sirsa (133).
Forty nine per cent of the total 2,728 farm fires in Haryana during the current paddy harvesting cycle were detected from October 21 to October 31, as per official data.
This month, so far, there has been 733 (27%) stubble burning incidences in the state which is more than 664 (24%) cases of crop residue burning recorded during the first 20 days of October.
The government started monitoring and recording the stubble burning cases from September 15 and not a single case of farm fire was recorded in the state during the first 15 days.
Against the 35 farm fires recorded on Thursday, as many as 184 fire events were detected in the state on the same day last year.
The cumulative number of farm fires reached 2,728, while it was 4,937 last year on November 10.
The officials of the agriculture department attribute the dip in the stubble burning cases to the paddy harvesting entering the last stage as the wheat sowing is already in an advanced stage across the state. Also, the stubble burning incidences are recorded through the satellite only till November 15.
Health experts’ advice: Wear masks
Health experts have advised the general public to stay indoors and wear masks while going outside, when necessary, amid a reported rise in the number of patients with asthma or other respiratory issues.
Ambala municipal commissioner Neha Singh said, “water sprinkling activities were carried out at various locations that will continue. Instructions have been issued to field officers to find garbage burning sites to take action.”