Punjab stubble burning cases jump sixfold in a day, 584 incidents recorded on Tuesday
During paddy harvesting in Punjab, 584 new cases of stubble burning were reported in a single day on Tuesday, taking the total tally for the season to 2,196.
A massive surge in stubble burning cases was recorded in Punjab on Tuesday. A day earlier, 98 cases were reported in the state, which jumped sixfold to 584 the very next day. This is the highest number of incidents recorded in a single day during the current paddy season.
With this increase, the total cases for this season in Punjab have reached 2,196. Out of the 4,333 incidents recorded so far in seven neighboring states, more than half of the cases are in Punjab alone. In the past six days alone, fires have broken out in fields at 1,383 places in the state, which makes up 63 percent of the total season.
Tarn Taran district has been the worst affected in the state, where 545 incidents have been recorded so far. This is followed by Ferozepur with 305 and Amritsar with 198 cases. Tarn Taran has remained at the forefront among 161 districts across seven states of the country.
Due to the increase in stubble burning incidents, the administration has also intensified legal action. Punjab Police has registered 423 FIRs under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for violating government orders. Out of these, the highest number of 258 FIRs have been registered in Tarn Taran.
Apart from this, the administration has imposed an environmental compensation fine of Rs 29.1 lakh in 573 cases, out of which Rs 19 lakh has been recovered. Red entries have been made in land records in 472 cases and show-cause notices have been issued to 572 nodal and supervisory officers.
According to Central Pollution Control Board data, air quality in Punjab cities remained in the moderate to poor category. Khanna recorded the worst Air Quality Index (AQI) at 293, while it was 212 in Ludhiana and 208 in Patiala.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa has blamed stubble burning in Punjab for the worsening air in Delhi. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party Punjab General Secretary Baltej Singh Pannu refuted this, claiming that incidents of stubble burning in the state have decreased significantly compared to before.
Key developments
- 584 new stubble burning cases were recorded in Punjab on Tuesday, up from 98 a day ago.
- Total incidents in the state reached 2,196 during the season, with Tarn Taran recording the highest at 545 cases.
- Police registered 423 FIRs for violating government orders.
- A fine of Rs 29.1 lakh was imposed on those setting fields on fire and red entries were made in 472 cases.
