Madhya Pradesh overtakes Punjab in stubble burning, over 10,000 cases this season

While states like Punjab and Haryana, historically affected by stubble burning, have shown signs of stabilisation, incidents of farm fires are on the rise in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

In Short

• Farm fires rise in Madhya Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan
• Madhya Pradesh surpasses Punjab in stubble burning cases
• Punjab, Haryana reduce farm fires significantly

Stubble burning incidents, a major contributor to air pollution in North India, have shown shifting trends across states. While traditional hotspots like Punjab and Haryana have made progress in reducing cases, there is a notable surge in farm fires in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh, in particular, has surpassed Punjab in the total number of farm fire cases this season, crossing the 10,000 mark.

This shift in the pattern has added a new dimension to the ongoing agricultural practice, notorious for contributing to severe air pollution in North India during the harvest season.

As of Monday, Madhya Pradesh reported a staggering 506 stubble burning incidents in a single day, surpassing its previous seasonal high of 296 cases recorded on November 2. This figure accounts for more than half of the total cases registered nationwide that day, highlighting a concerning upsurge in the state. In contrast, Punjab, which had recorded 587 incidents on November 1, managed to reduce this number to 262 by November 4, indicating a positive trend in controlling crop residue burning.

However, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, much like Madhya Pradesh, have shown a worrying spike. Uttar Pradesh recorded 84 incidents on Monday, a dramatic increase from just 16 the previous day. Similarly, Rajasthan's numbers jumped from 36 to 98 incidents, marking the second-highest total for the season after October 16, which saw 100 cases.

In a progressive shift, Haryana has witnessed a downward trend in stubble burning, with incidents decreasing from 42 on October 31 to 13 by November 4. Despite these improvements in certain regions, the cumulative figures remain troubling, with the country surpassing the threshold of 10,000 stubble burning incidents for the year. Punjab remains the highest contributor, with 4,394 cases, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 2,875 out of the total 10,693 incidents.

Experts view this scenario presents a complex challenge for policymakers, as the urgency to support alternative farming practices grows to mitigate environmental damage and promote sustainable agriculture.