Stubble burning: Contrasting trends in Haryana and Punjab

The incidents of stubble burning in Haryana are negligible compared to Punjab. Stubble was burnt at 99 places in Haryana on Wednesday, with the highest number of 28 cases reported in Fatehabad. In the neighboring state, more than a thousand incidents of stubble burning have been reported for four consecutive days, breaking records.
A total of 1921 incidents of stubble burning were recorded on November 1, the highest in the current season. The latest data shows an increase of about 28 percent compared to the previous day. Regardless of who is responsible, stubble smoke is contributing to increased air pollution.
A research team of environmental experts from PGI Chandigarh and Panjab University has assessed the data. PGI’s environmental expert, Prof. Ravinder Khaiwal, noted that while the cases of stubble burning are fewer than last year, it is still occurring continuously.
As a result, pollution levels in many states of North India have reached dangerous levels. On Wednesday, the situation remained poor in 15 cities of Haryana, with Hisar and Fatehabad being the most polluted. The air quality index (AQI) was 413 in Fatehabad and 404 in Hisar.
Complaints of eye irritation have increased due to smog in most of the cities, and people also felt suffocation while breathing. With the continuous change in weather, the temperature is rising. People are concerned about the high daytime temperatures and slight cold at night.
On November 1, a total of 1921 incidents of stubble burning occurred in Punjab and Haryana, which is the highest at present. In contrast, Haryana has fewer cases of stubble burning compared to Punjab. On Wednesday, cases of stubble burning were reported at 99 places in Haryana. As a result, pollution levels in many states of North India have reached dangerous levels, and the situation remained poor in 15 cities of Haryana even on Wednesday.