Over 25% dip in farm fires in Punjab this yr: Agri dept

Amritsar

Bathinda

Jalandhar

Khanna Ludhiana

Patiala

CHANDIGARH : Stubble burning cases have come down by over 25% in Punjab this kharif season as compared to last year, according the data compiled by the state agriculture department.

The cumulative farm fire cases from September 15 till November 11 reached 40,677. In the corresponding periods in 2020 and 2021, Punjab had registered 69,333 and 55,573 stubble burning incidents, respectively.

Department officials say Punjab reported a total of 71,246 farm fires in 2021, but the number is not expected to cross 55,000 this year.

Though Friday’s count touched a new peak of the season at 3,916 taking the total farm fire cases this season to 40,677 so far, officials say it would see a sharp dip in the next four-five days as almost 97% of harvesting is over in the state and around 70% of wheat has been sown.

Dip in Majha belt

Paddy was sown over 30.82 lakh hectares (75.5 lakh acres) in Punjab and the area expected under wheat cultivation is expected to cross 34 lakh hectares (83 lakh acres), say agriculture department officials.

“There is a dip in farm fire cases being reported from the Majha belt. The problem area is Ferozepur, Fazilka, Moga, Muktsar, Faridkot, and Bathinda districts of the Malwa belt, which have late paddy varieties,” said Jagdish Singh, joint director of the agriculture department.

This year, the area under farm fires would also come down drastically, which he attributed to increase in paddy stubble usage for fodder, plywood and paper industry and fuel for biomass and thermal power projects.

“We would know the exact affected area after the paddy harvesting is over across the state,” he added.

At a meeting with chief secretary VK Janjua, agriculture department officials said the focus of the monitoring teams would be on the hotspots to check last-minute fires.

It was also conveyed that farm fire cases are expected to continue till November 15 after which there would be a sudden fall.

The paddy harvesting is expected to conclude within a week. 17,000 machines for in-situ management Around 17,000 subsidised machines have been distributed to the farmers for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble this season. These machines are given from an annual grant of Rs 245 crore from the Centre. Taking into account the number of machines given in the previous three years since the scheme started, a total of 1.07 lakh machines have been distributed. Out of all the machines, super seeders comprised the major chunk --- 11,200 followed by zero till drill 3,573 and bailers 312, said officials.

The problem areas are Ferozepur, Fazilka, Moga, Muktsar, Faridkot, and Bathinda of the Malwa belt, which have late paddy varieties. JAGDISH SINGH, joint director, agriculture department.