Punjab Reports 404 Cases of Stubble Burning, Amritsar and Tarn Taran Most Affected
Punjab has recorded 404 stubble burning incidents, with Amritsar and Tarn Taran leading in numbers. Environmental fines reach ₹7.20 lakh.
Patiala, October 21 (Daily Kiran) : Punjab’s ongoing battle against stubble burning has resulted in 404 recorded incidents, according to a report from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) as of October 20. The state administration is actively working to curb these occurrences. So far, inspections have been conducted on 358 fields, confirming stubble burning at 151 locations.
Amritsar has reported the highest number of incidents, with 117 cases, while Tarn Taran follows closely with 198 incidents. In Tarn Taran, inspections were carried out on 176 fields, confirming burning at 75 sites. Amritsar saw inspections of 111 fields with 42 confirmations of stubble burning.
The report also highlights incidents in other districts: Gurudaspur recorded 23 cases, Ferozepur 14, and Kapurthala 16. Jalandhar and Patiala reported 5 and 4 incidents, respectively. In Patiala, inspections were conducted on 3 fields, with 2 confirmed cases of burning, leading to an environmental fine of ₹10,000.
Overall, the state has imposed environmental fines totaling ₹7.20 lakh related to stubble burning, recovering ₹3.40 lakh so far. Authorities have filed FIRs in 39 cases, made 106 entries in revenue records, and issued 152 warning notices.
To combat the issue, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has deployed “flying squads” across Punjab to monitor stubble burning until November 30. These teams are stationed in key rice-producing districts, including Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Bathinda, Amritsar, Moga, Mansa, Fazilka, Patiala, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Barnala, Malerkotla, Gurudaspur, Jalandhar, and Fatehgarh Sahib, ensuring continuous oversight throughout the rice harvesting season.
