Punjab Records 5,835 Cases of Crop Burning, Patiala Faces Highest Fines
Punjab reports 5,835 crop burning incidents, with Patiala imposing the most fines to combat air pollution.
Chandigarh, November 15 (Daily Kiran) : In Chandigarh, Punjab has recorded a staggering 5,835 incidents of crop burning across 23 districts following the rice harvest. Patiala has emerged as the district with the highest number of cases, reporting 391 incidents, according to a recent report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
The report, which includes data up to Saturday, indicates that inspections were conducted at 5,539 locations statewide, confirming crop burning at 2,442 sites. Authorities have taken action against farmers and officials in an effort to curb these incidents and prevent further deterioration of air quality.
In Patiala, out of the 391 reported cases, inspections confirmed burning at 225 locations. The district has imposed environmental compensation in 166 cases, totaling fines of ₹835,000, with ₹310,000 already collected.
Additionally, 215 FIRs have been filed related to crop burning incidents in Patiala. The administration has issued 390 warnings and show-cause notices to nodal and supervisory officials. However, the report notes that no cases have been registered for prosecution, charge sheets, or suspensions of officials so far.
Statewide, the report highlights that environmental compensation has been imposed in 2,152 cases, amounting to fines of ₹10.855 million, with ₹4.04 million already collected. Across Punjab, 1,834 FIRs related to crop burning have been filed, and revenue record entries have been made in 2,015 cases. Furthermore, legal action is underway against officials in 35 cases.
The report underscores the significant challenge Punjab faces in preventing crop burning, as thousands of incidents continue to be reported despite ongoing enforcement actions, fines, FIRs, and warnings issued to various levels of officials.
The total area under rice cultivation in Punjab is approximately 3.287 million hectares, with nearly 98% of the harvest completed by Saturday, indicating that the majority of the harvesting process is nearing its end.
