Spike in farm fire cases worsens air quality in Punjab

A day after registering the highest single day spike in farm fire cases this season, Punjab on Sunday recorded 162 cases of stubble burning taking the total count of the season to 872. This jump in farm fires cases has worsened the air quality of the state.
October 12, Punjab reported 177 farm fire cases.
Of the 162 farm fire cases recorded on Sunday, four districts reported the highest number of such cases. Amritsar recorded 48 cases while Tarn Taran reported 38. Patiala and Sangrur reported 26 and 16 cases, respectively.
So far, Amritsar district has recorded the highest cases of stubble burning with a count of 321, followed by Tarn Taran district with 170 cases of stubble burning.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data reveals that around 70% of the stubble burning cases so far, have been reported over the past four days when paddy harvesting picked up. The monitoring of stubble burning cases started on September 15.
As farm fire cases rise, some cities in the state with air quality in the ‘satisfactory’ range have slipped to ‘moderate’ category.
On Sunday evening, Bathinda district recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 206, slipping to ‘poor category’ from ‘moderate’. Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar districts recorded an AQI of above 100 coming down to ‘moderate’ range from ‘satisfactory’.
Sumeet Singh, nodal officer, national programme for climate change and human health, said that the vulnerable population — asthmatic, allergic and COPD patients — should carry inhalers and medications with them. “Non-essential outdoor movement and activity should be avoided until air quality improves,” he added.