Karnal admn identifies stubble burning hotspots, steps up vigil to curb incidents

As paddy harvesting continues in full swing, the Karnal district administration has intensified efforts to curb stubble burning. The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has identified 24 villages under the ‘yellow’ category and two villages under the ‘red’ category, based on active fire location (AFL) data for 2023, provided by the Haryana Space Applications Centre.

“This categorisation aims to intensify monitoring and preventive measures in areas with higher instances of crop residue burning,” said an official. Villages with six or more AFLs have been classified as ‘red’, while those with between two and five AFLs fall under the ‘yellow’ category. Salwan and Bal Rangran are listed in the red zone, while 24 villages, including Assandh, Bahri, Bilona, Gharaunda, and Nissing, have been marked in the yellow zone.

The number of villages in these categories has dropped compared to previous years. In 2022, there were 10 villages in the red and 53 in the yellow category, while in 2021, 19 villages were classified as red and 94 as yellow. The number of AFLs has also decreased, with 126 recorded in 2023, compared to 301 in 2022 and 957 in 2021. So far, the district has recorded 43 AFLs. During the last season, fines totaling Rs 2,35,000 were imposed on 57 farmers.

“We are raising awareness in the affected villages about the dangers of stubble burning, particularly its impact on air pollution and respiratory health,” said Dr Wazir Singh, Deputy Director Agriculture, Karnal. “We are working closely with farmers to provide alternatives, such as straw management equipment, and offering financial incentives to discourage this harmful practice.”

The administration has deployed special task forces for micro-level monitoring and constituted teams at the village, tehsil, subdivision, and district levels. The Central Pollution Control Board has also formed flying squads to oversee paddy-producing districts in Punjab and Haryana until November 30, with local pollution board officers. “We’ve implemented strict surveillance, especially during holidays when stubble burning is more likely,” said DC Uttam Singh.