67 fresh farm fires, count reaches 10,749
A total of 67 farm fires were reported today in Punjab. Fazilka topped the state with 14 incidents, followed by Moga with 10. As many as eight incidents were reported from Faridkot. The total farm fire count reached 10,749.
The state witnessed 1,251 farm fires, the highest in the season, on November 18.
As per the experts, a western disturbance in Jammu-Kashmir region has increased the wind velocity and helped in blowing away pollutants and improving the air quality of the state. The AQI across the state fell into the moderate category, thinning the aerosol load.
Aerosol loading is the amount of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, such as dust, smoke, and haze. These particles can be natural or man-made and can have a significant impact on health.
Dr Ravindra Khaiwal, professor of Environment Health, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, said, “Stubble burning is one of the major contributory factors, if not the main cause, behind the rising volume of pollutants.”
“Since the beginning of November, the average wind speed was hovering around 2 km per hour. Major farming operations, including harvesting paddy and preparing the field for the next crop, also take place during this time of the year. Due to dry weather, the soil also remains loose, which adds to dust pollution. The burning of residue leads to a spike in pollution level,” said Dr Khaiwal.
