On Wednesday (8th November), farm fire incidents in Punjab crossed the mark of 2000 in a single day. The alarming numbers were recorded a day after the Supreme Court directed the state government to ensure the stopping of crop stubble burning “forthwith”.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has instructed the police and civil administration to register FIR and take strict action against farmers burning crop residue.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav directed the police officers to work in collusion with the civil administration to prevent stubble burning. DGP Yadav also appointed Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla as the police nodal officer to monitor action against stubble burning.
Following the directions of the Supreme Court, Chief Secretary Anurag Verma has asked District Magistrates and CPs/SSPs to jointly hold a review meeting on the issue daily after receiving the data on farm fires.
During this meeting, it was decided that village-wise situation of stubble burning will be reviewed. If any stubble-burning incident is found to have taken place in the jurisdiction of any SHO, prompt disciplinary action will be taken against him.
Reportedly, 12 instructions have been issued. Police patrol parties, under the direct leadership of the area SHO, will work to put an end to the stubble burning swiftly. Cluster teams, formed earlier by the District Collectors in each district, have been urged to communicate with police and civil administration teams. Each district will now be divided into sectors, with a gazetted police officer in command of each. The District Magistrate and SSP have been ordered to make regular field inspections. Moreover, Collectors and SSPs have also been directed to use alternate solutions for in-situ and ex-situ stubble management.
According to data collected by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre in Ludhiana, the overall number of farm fires in Punjab has risen to 22,981, with 2,003 new incidents reported on Wednesday.
The data of 2003 fresh incidents states that Sangrur continued to lead in rankings with 466 stubble-burning incidences, followed by 221 in Bathinda, 216 in Barnala, 150 in Faridkot, 131 in Mansa, 106 in Patiala, 103 in Ferozepur, and 96 in Ludhiana.
With the highest number of stubble-burning cases—4,070—among the 22,981 farm fires reported between September 15 and November 8, Sangrur is in the top spot. It is followed by 2,176 in Ferozepur, 1,888 in Tarn Taran, 1,719 in Mansa, 1,524 in Patiala, 1,454 in Amritsar, 1,436 in Bathinda, 1,129 in Barnala, 1,089 in Ludhiana and 1,014 in Faridkot.