6 major paddy growing districts behind 80% farm fires in Haryana
For the past two years, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Jind, Karnal, Sirsa and Kurukshetra have been contributing maximum number of farm fires in the state
KARNAL: Six major paddy growing districts of Haryana contribute around 80% of the total 3,233 stubble fire cases clocked in the state so far this year, prompting the agriculture department to find ways to dissuade farmers in these areas from burning paddy straw despite various initiatives launched by the government to contain the menace.
According to the latest figures on the active fire locations detected by the Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), Fatehabad has clocked the highest 697 cases of farm fires in the state this year so far, followed by bordering district of Kaithal with 658 incidents, 441 in Jind, 296 in Karnal, 293 in Kurukshetra and 200 in Sirsa.
Even as the Haryana government claimed to have achieved around 45% decline in the number of farm fires as compared to last year, officials monitoring the situation are of the view that they need more focus on these six districts.
As per the figures by the state agriculture department, the highest 1,042 custom hiring centres have been set up in Kaithal, 863 in Jind, 855 in Fatehabad, 824 in Sirsa and 784 in Karnal.
Haryana director general of agriculture and farmers welfare department Hardeep Singh said that an inquiry is underway to find out the reasons behind the increasing incidents of farm fires in these districts.
“Our focus is on the districts of Jind, Fatehabad and Sirsa, where lateral varieties are yet to be harvested or fields are yet to be made ready for sowing of rabi crops is going on,” he added.
He said that the department is also allotting more machines to farmers of these districts and even the farmers who applied for equipment and could not get it during the draw of lots will be now considered as additional funds were received later.
The districts have emerged as the highest contributors to farm fires in the state even as maximum number of machines for crop waste management was distributed to farmers in these areas.
Last year too, these districts logged over 80% of the total 6,987 incidents of farm fires reported in the state.
Last year too, Fatehabad reported the highest 1,479 farm fire incidents in the state, followed by Kaithal with 1,157 incidents. Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s home district of Karnal had reported 955 incidents, 919 were reported in Jind and 551 in Sirsa.
Haryana may miss target
According to official figures, the state has so far reported 45% decline in the incidents of farm fires than last year.
However, it seems difficult for the state to achieve the target to bring down farm fires by 50% during the current paddy harvesting season in comparison to total active fire locations (AFL) recorded in 2020, as directed by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas in October.
However, officials monitoring farm fires in the state said that these are not the final figures yet. The verification of AFL is going on and this needs to be confirmed.
“There have been huge fluctuations in the verification detected by HARSAC and those were verified on the ground,” said Karam Chand, deputy director, agriculture, Kaithal district.