Marked Reduction in Stubble Burning in Punjab and Haryana

Marked Reduction in Stubble Burning in Punjab and Haryana

VoM News Desk | November 30, 2023 | 09:55 PM IST | Climate & Environment, Haryana, Punjab | Tags: #AgriculturalPollutionControl, #AirQualityImprovement, #ClimateAction, #EnvironmentMinistryUpdate, #PunjabHaryanaEnvironment, #SustainableFarmingPractices, StubbleBurningReduction | Follow on Google News

Marked Reduction in Stubble Burning in Punjab and Haryana

Marked Reduction in Stubble Burning in Punjab and Haryana

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reported a significant decrease in stubble burning incidents in the states of Punjab and Haryana at the close of the paddy harvesting season in 2023. This decline is a positive development over the last three years, thanks to the implementation of district-specific action plans, enhanced monitoring, improved machinery utilization, and increased industrial use of paddy straw. In Punjab, there has been a 27% decrease in total fire counts due to paddy stubble burning in 2023 compared to 2022. Notably, districts like Muktsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Rupnagar have observed over 50% reduction in paddy farm fires.

Variable Impact Across Districts

While many districts in Punjab and Haryana have shown significant improvements, some districts still pose concerns. In Punjab, Amritsar, SAS Nagar, and Pathankot reported an increase in fire counts in 2023 versus 2022. In Haryana, districts like Kaithal, Karnal, and Panipat have shown more than a 50% reduction in fire counts during 2023 as compared to the previous year, with other districts like Kurukshetra, Sirsa, and Yamuna Nagar registering a reduction between 37%-50%.

Air Quality in Delhi/NCR Not Reflecting the Improvement

Despite the noteworthy reduction in stubble burning, the positive impact hasn’t significantly reflected in the daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi/NCR in November 2023. This discrepancy is primarily attributed to unfavorable meteorological and climate conditions in the region, including low wind speeds, minimal rainfall, and calm wind conditions over Delhi, which have hindered the dispersion of pollutants. Consequently, the AQI during November 2023 was higher than in preceding year.

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