Even as farm fire incidents in Punjab have crossed the 2,000 mark in just 24 hours, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is busy trying to win the perception war on social media. Taking to X (Twitter), AAP tweeted a graph image to claim that stubble-burning incidents in Punjab have reduced by 55 per cent in 2022-23. Notably, Punjab has reportedly recorded 65.6 per cent of farm fires as compared to Haryana which has recorded 5.3 per cent of farm fires.
At the same time, the AAP-led Punjab government has instructed the police and civil administration to register FIR and take strict action against farmers burning crop residue. Punjab government data reportedly reveals that 21 districts in the state have witnessed a spike in farm fire incidents.
Farmers in Sangrur reportedly logged 466 cases of farm fires on 8th November, taking the total count to a whopping 4,070, the highest of all districts. Ludhiana has reported 96 cases on 8th November, taking the total count of farm fires to 1,089. 861 cases of farm fires were recorded in 24 hours in South Mawla which comprises Bathinda, Faridkot, Mansa, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Moga and Fazilka.
This brings the overall farm fires in Punjab to 22,981. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has reported a 38 per cent reduction in stubble-burning incidents this year as compared to 2022. In the past two years, Haryana has recorded a reduction in stubble burning by 57 per cent.
The BJP-ruled state has taken strict action against individuals responsible for farm fire, issuing 1,256 challans and fine amounting to Rs 32.55 lakh. 72 FIRs have been filed and 44 far fires were extinguished.
Moreover, the Haryana government has unveiled a new policy aimed at completely ending stubble burning. The ‘Haryana Ex-Situ Management of Paddy Straw Policy 2023’ aims to harness paddy straw for sustainable energy and eliminate crop residue burning by 2027.
The Haryana government has sanctioned 19,141 lakh crop residue management (CRM) machines to farmers at a subsidy. An area of 940 lakh acres has been registered for incentives of Rs 1,000 per acre.
Moreover, the state government has reportedly imposed curbs on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (4-wheelers) in Gurugram and Faridabad with immediate effect until November 30 or until the revocation of GRAP Stage III by the Commission on Air Quality Management, whichever occurs earlier.
Satellite imagery from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) shows Punjab covered in red dots signifying the severe levels of farm fires in the state whereas the same in Haryana appears significantly lower. The data recorded in the satellite imagery is from the past 24 hours.
Yet, the Aam Aadmi Party has accused the Haryana government for the dangerous Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). Even as AAP is the ruling dispensation in both, Punjab – where stubble burning is at its peak, and in Delhi – where AQI currently stands at 426, it has time and again been attacking the BJP-ruled Haryana government and indulging in a political war of words.