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Punjab reported astir 70% less workplace occurrence incidents successful 2024 than successful 2023, yet the full country scorched (burnt) by these fires expanded year-on-year, starring to questions implicit the accuracy of the data.
Satellite aggregation information from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) showed that successful 2024 determination were 10,909 incidents of workplace fires successful Punjab against 36,663 incidents successful 2023, a 70% decline. However, the country nether ‘residue burning for paddy’ (burnt area) accrued to 19.17 lakh hectares successful 2024 from 19.14 lakh hectares successful 2023. The study titled ‘Comparison of district-wise country classified nether residue burning (paddy) for twelvemonth 2023 and 2024’ mentions the burnt country for the play from September 15 to November 30.
Paddy was sown successful implicit 30.02 lakh hectares successful 2023, and successful 31 lakh hectares successful 2024.
Burnt country information reveals the existent standard of the workplace occurrence menace, erstwhile officials and experts said, and the 2024 information suggests workplace occurrence incidents could person been under-reported. To debar detection, sources said, farmers whitethorn person burnt stubble aft satellites passed implicit the region. While workplace occurrence incidents are recorded daily, the burnt country is measured by satellites connected a play basis.
The slightest burnt country was successful Pathankot district, followed by Rupnagar district; the highest burnt country was successful Patiala district, followed by Sangrur district, the study said.
“The workplace occurrence incidents successful Punjab and, for that matter, different States arsenic well, are recorded by satellites passing implicit the portion with thermal imaging, utilizing somesthesia differences astatine peculiar timings successful the greeting and afternoon. Last twelvemonth (2024), it appears farmers whitethorn person burned paddy stubble during the model successful which they could evade the satellite. If the workplace fire incidents had really gone down, then the burnt country should person besides been less. It’s bound to rise superior questions,” a erstwhile elder authoritative of the PPCB said, requesting anonymity.
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Gurvinder Singh, erstwhile Director, Punjab Agriculture Department, echoed akin concerns. “The summation successful paddy residue’s ‘burnt area’, which provides a amended representation of workplace fires, decidedly poses a question astir the authenticity of figures connected workplace occurrence incidents successful 2024. There could beryllium a fig of reasons down this, arsenic we cognize the information by the PRSC is collected by satellites, which seemingly tin beryllium circumvented. We cannot contradict the information that galore radical are alert of the timing of the outer movement, and could person ‘escaped’ it past year. In the past, determination person besides been instances of persons burning residue, and immediately, wrong an hr oregon so, cultivating and watering the workplace to debar detection. The exertion needs to beryllium updated truthful that there’s nary ambiguity successful the data,” Mr. Singh said.
Jaskirat Singh, noted activistic connected biology issues successful Punjab, said the crushed world did not match. “While the governments, be it the Centre oregon State, claim that the crisp diminution successful workplace occurrence incidents has been achieved with a scope of measures implicit caller years, including subsidised machinery for harvest residue management, the crushed world is different. Data connected the emergence successful ‘burnt area’ has revealed the truth. It appears that thing overmuch has changed connected the ground. Instead of playing with figures and getting progressive successful gimmicks, governments should travel up with a factual program to assistance farmers resoluteness the contented of stubble burning. The authorities should enactment the ideas coming from farmers and workplace unions to find a solution to this menace,” Mr. Singh said.
A elder serviceman of PPCB, requesting anonymity, told The Hindu that the emergence successful burnt country could beryllium a method issue. “We person deliberated connected the emergence successful burnt area. There appears to beryllium a method issue. The distant sensing data at times records much than 1 occurrence incidental from the aforesaid place. For example, this year, successful Patiala, the PRSC showed 3 abstracted incidents of workplace fires connected a two-acre farm, but erstwhile our officials physically verified, it turned out to beryllium lone 1 incident, arsenic determination was lone 1 burnt patch. The onshore ownership was besides held by the aforesaid person. So, portion we see the said incidental arsenic one, the ‘burnt area’ would see the full burnt patch,” the serviceman said.
The annual paddy stubble burning in autumn contributes to aerial contamination crossed bluish India, including New Delhi. Both the Union and State governments person claimed a diminution successful workplace fires has been achieved with respective steps, including stricter enforcement of directives against stubble burning, and entree to machinery for harvest residue management.
As paddy harvesting gathers momentum successful Punjab, stubble-burning incidents person besides begun. This year, the State has recorded 95 stubble-burning incidents successful the play from September 15 to October 3, according to authorities data.
