Punjab has witnessed 49 per cent more stubble burning incidents from September 21 to November 2 as compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to official data, the total number of incidents of stubble burning in the northern state from September 21 to November 2, during the paddy season, reached 36,755 as compared to 24,726 in 2019, reported NDTV.

The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre also highlighted that the state reported 29,156 and 24,428 incidents of paddy residue in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

A massive surge in the number of such incidents has accentuated the fact that a substantial number of farmers continue to set paddy straw on fire, despite the ban and the air pollution attached to it.

The data also stated that the state, on Monday, November 2, reported 3,590 incidents of farm fires with the highest number of such incidents recorded in Sangrur district at 696. Meanwhile, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Mansa and Patiala districts reported 425, 307, 301 and 287 stubble burning incidents, respectively.

Reports have suggested that Punjab alone generates 20 million tonnes of paddy stubble annually.

Farmers, who are on the receiving ends, have demanded monetary bonus on paddy and stubble management.

The Punjab government has been seeking from the Centre ₹100 per quintal as compensation to enable farmers to manage paddy straw without burning it.

While the Delhi government has blamed crop residue burning in neighbouring states for toxic haze over the national capital, the farmers express helplessness at not having any viable alternative to stubble burning.

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