With wheat harvest over, Punjab registers spike in stubble burning-THE HINDU-26-05-2020

Details:

With wheat harvesting over in the key grain producing State of Punjab, there has been a spike in incidents of stubble burning compared with the past two years as many farmers continue to defy the ban on the practice. Government data show that across the State, between April 15 and May 24, as many as 13,026 incidents of straw fire have been reported.

Last year the number of such incidents during the same period was 10,476 and in 2018, it was 11,236. Moga district has seen the highest number of farm fire incidents at 1,179, while Amritsar with 1,119 cases is at the second spot.

Garg said so far 3,141 incidents of deliberate straw burning have been identified across the State in which challan amounting to Rs.39, 27,500 had been issued to the offenders.

Health issues:

Burning of wheat straw can cause diseases such as problem in breathing, lungs etc, which could affect recovery of patients suffering from COVID 19.