Chandigarh: As the paddy harvesting season begins in mid-September, the controversial issues of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, and other nearby states come to the forefront. It also adds to the rising level of air pollution in Delhi NCR, triggering a fresh debate every year and bringing the government and farmers face to face.
Stubble, Pollution And Politics
According to the latest data by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS), from September 15 to October 22, a total of 3,878 cases of stubble burning have been reported in six states: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, out of which 1,581 cases have been reported in Punjab, 665 in Haryana, 740 in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in Delhi, 332 in Rajasthan, and 549 in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the latest data from the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS), a total of 3,878 cases of stubble burning were reported in six states: Punjab (1581), Haryana (665), Uttar Pradesh (740), Delhi (11), Rajasthan (332), and Madhya Pradesh (549).
Stubble Burning Cases Reduced Significantly In 6 Years
Five years ago, on October 22, 2018, 7,162 cases of stubble were reported, with 3,608 coming from Punjab, 2,445 from Haryana, and 1,109 from Uttar Pradesh.
According to the data recorded on October 22 (Tuesday), the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana during the previous five years has been steadily declining. But during these months, Delhi's pollution level hasn't changed.
PGI And Punjab University Data
Punjab University's Public Health Department and PGI Chandigarh have both been working on this for some time. They also keep a close eye on instances of stubble burning. According to their records, 750 incidences of stubble burning have been registered in Punjab and Haryana during the previous eight days.
Professor Suman Mor of Punjab University and Professor Ravindra Khaiwal of PGI say the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana has decreased by up to 50% this year compared to the previous year.
Similarly, the Punjab government's records reveal that 1,581 incidences of stubble burning were registered in Punjab as of October 22. In comparison, this number was roughly 1,750 during the same period last year.
Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana Speaks
Haryana Government's Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana says that nearly 3,000 FIRs have been filed in Haryana in the case of stubble burning so far.
It means there is one case in two villages, as there are 6,000 villages in Haryana, but the propaganda has been such that all the pollution is being caused by farmers, he said.
“Pollution in Delhi is caused by both farmers and the city's populations. Pollution increases with population density. Airports and planes also emit pollution. It might also happen during construction activity. And 28 unclean sewers meet the Yamuna in Delhi, causing pollution,” Rana said.
Expert Speaks
Professor Ravindra Khaiwal, who is posted in PGI's School of Public Health, says that the biggest reason for Delhi's pollution is its geographical location.
“The change in weather and the height of the atmospheric boundary also increases the level of pollution. Lakhs of vehicles run in the capital city, and factories as well as construction work on a large scale are responsible for it. Stubble burning only adds to it,” he said.
He says that according to a study, stubble contributes to only between 0 and 30 per cent of pollution in Delhi.
“The level of pollution also depends on the winds. In the past years, there were some cases of stubble burning of three to five thousand in a day. But in the last two to three years, it has decreased,” Khaiwal said.
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