Centre asks Punjab, Haryana to intensify measures against stubble burning

Amid growing concerns over air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, the Centre has urged Punjab and Haryana to bolster their efforts to curb stubble burning during the ongoing paddy harvest season.

- NEERAJ MOHAN

In an advisory issued on Saturday, the government called for strengthening of micro-level action plans for crop residue management to avert a potential air quality crisis as the region braces for its annual smog blanket.

At an inter-ministerial meeting held at Krishi Bhawan, officials flagged the likelihood of a surge in stubble burning incidents over the next two weeks, a period coinciding with accelerated paddy harvesting.

Delayed procurement by millers in Punjab has slowed the harvest's pace, but concerns remain about a sudden uptick in farm fires, particularly as neighboring Madhya Pradesh has now surpassed Punjab and Haryana in the number of reported cases of stubble burning.

According to data released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) for the week of October 19 to 25, Madhya Pradesh reported 536 cases of stubble burning, outstripping both Punjab and Haryana.