Ludhiana The district on Friday reported 63 incidents of stubble burning, with the administration intensifying efforts to check farm fires in villages, especially hot spot areas.
Following the fire incidents, Ludhiana’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded 329, in the ‘very poor’ category. With the new cases total number of farm fires in the district emerged to 1,697.
Deputy commissioner (DC) Surabhi Malik visited the villages and engaged with the farmers to sensitize them about the ill effects of stubble burning.
The fresh stubble burning cases were reported on the day the director general of police (DGP) issued show cause notice on to senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) of seven districts, including Ludhiana.
Earlier, Punjab chief secretary Anurag Verma had issued notices to nine deputy commissioners (DC), including Ludhiana DC, over their failure to control farm fires.
DC Surabhi Malik visited hotspot villages including Bassian village near Raikot. She engaged in a discussion with stakeholders, urging farmers to collaborate with the state government’s initiative to safeguard the environment from the adverse effects of stubble burning.
Malik emphasized the need for farmers to adopt responsible crop residue management practices, highlighting that burning fields not only poses environmental hazards but also depletes soil fertility by destroying essential nutrients. She stressed that addressing this issue requires collective efforts, urging farmers to adopt crop residue management techniques to handle paddy straw efficiently.
She assured that the district administration was closely monitoring farm fire incidents, ensuring prompt action in response. Over 800 pieces of machinery, including super seeders, happy seeders, mulchers, bailers, and surface seeders, have already been provided to farmers to manage crop residue effectively.
Malik announced plans to visit more hotspot villages in the coming days, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to curbing detrimental practices in the district. Simultaneously, senior officers, including ADCs and SDMs, visited hotspots in their respective jurisdictions, appealing to farmers to refrain from burning paddy straw.
