Politics over stubble burning cases continue to heat up Punjab’s political landscape. After having been at the receiving end of the opposition over deteriorating air quality in Punjab and Delhi, the AAP has now hit back saying the Bhagwant Mann-led government’s awareness campaign was successful with claims of reduced farm fires this year.
The AAP released the data of stubble burning cases in Punjab claiming that they had dropped by 50 per cent in the worst-affected five districts of the state.
“With the efforts initiated by the Bhagwant Mann government, stubble burning cases in Sangrur, Moga, Ferozepur, Ludhiana and Patiala have gone down by as much as 50 per cent compared to last year,” the Punjab AAP said in a tweet.
In Sangrur, as against 8,006 cases last year, only 5,239 cases were reported this year while in Moga, the number stood at 3,592 as compared to 6,557 last year. In Ferozepur, 4,282 cases were reported this year, dropping from 6,268 reported last year while in Ludhiana, the number of farm fires was 2,668 this year as compared to 5,817. Cases in Patiala stood at 3,332 as against 5,368.
According to the data presented by the AAP, across Punjab a little over 49,000 cases have been reported this year as against over 71,000 cases.
Though the air quality continued to be a concern area, the Punjab government said when it came to stubble burning, its awareness campaigns had started delivering results.
“The government has already distributed 1.2 lakh paddy straw management machines to the farmers. Also senior nodal officers have been posted in various districts, mostly focusing on the worst ones, and that has shown results on the ground,’’ said an officer.
But the opposition continued to target the government citing an example of neighbouring Haryana where, it claimed, that farm fires had dramatically decreased this year due to a more active government involvement.
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