CHANDIGARH: 5,953 cases of farm fires were reported on Monday in Punjab, the highest ever in a single day, as a total of 31,267 stubble burning incidents have been registered till date as per data of Punjab Agriculture University. Meanwhile Cricketer Harbhajan Singh has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the three Chief Ministers to devise a mechanism to curtail air pollution in North India.
As per Consortium on Research for Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space Indian Agriculture Research Institute, a total of 31,402 stubble burning incidents were detected in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from October 1 to November 3 - 25,366 incidents in Punjab, 4414 in Haryana and 1622 in UP. In these three states there has been a reduction of 12.01 per cent in incidents of stubble burning compared to the same period in 2018. The number of incidents UP, Haryana and Punjab till date this year has reduced by 48.2 per cent, 11.7 per cent and 8.7 per cent respectively compared to last year.
The smoke emanated by the stubble burning has become a contentious issue between the chief ministers of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh reiterated the demand for Rs 100 per quintal compensation for farmers from the Centre to shun stubble burning.
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to devise a mechanism to curtail air pollution in north India which has caused severe health hazards.
Harbhajan appealed through a video message uploaded on his twitter account, "I want to request PM Narendra Modi and request the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana to meet with PM Modi. Keeping in mind everyone, including the farmers and every living being, the leaders should chalk out a plan that benefits everyone. I would request this meeting to happen quickly. PM Modi, please give your time to this and guide us how we can make India clean as well as healthy. We will also contribute in whatever way we can in order to keep our environment healthy," he stated
"I want to speak about the pollution in North India. We all are a cause for it, including me. We drive cars and burn fuel and cause harm to the environment. We have learnt over the last few years that fodder burning also causes a lot of pollution. It is harmful for every child, anyone residing in those areas. We have also learnt that our life expectancy will reduce by around ten years," he stated.
Meanwhile in Sangrur district, two officers are at logger heads over the issue as a SDM and tehsildar have taken an opposite stand on the required course of legal action after a tenant farmer was issued a challan for burning stubble on nagar panchayat land in Dirba. As per the Dirba Tehsildar, the tenant should be penalised for stubble burning but the Dirba SDM and Officer of Agriculture Department are of the view that the landowner is responsible for the prevention of stubble burning and should face action.