Punjab has recorded around 74,000 incidents of stubble burning this season, the maximum in four years, data released by the Punjab Remote S...
Punjab has recorded around 74,000 incidents of stubble burning this season, the maximum in four years, data released by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre showed. Experts believe this is a direct fallout of the government’s three new agricultural laws that have been at the center of protests in the state for months, reported PTI.
The state recorded 73,883 incidents of burning of stubble between September 21 and November 14, which is the highest since 2016. Punjab had reported 51,048 agricultural fires in the corresponding period last year, and 46,559 such incidents in 2018. The number of farm fires was 43,149 in the state during the same period in 2017.
Every year, farmers are criticised for causing the worst air pollution in Delhi because of the burning of stubbles in fields. In neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab, they traditionally resort to the method during the months of October and November as a cheap way of clearing their fields after harvesting the crops. Despite a ban on stubble burning, farmers say they have no choice but to set fire to the crop residue as they cannot afford any delay in getting their fields clear before sowing the next crop.
Besides, even though the Punjab government offers subsidies for farm equipment...
