Air quality index reached 127 from 75
Patiala, October 25: Despite the district administration warning farmers not to set fire to stubble, efforts to set fire to stubble are not stopping. Last Monday, stubble was set on fire at 14 places in the same night. So far there have been 215 incidents of straw blowing. Although this figure is less than the figure of the last two years, but still many farmers are not refraining from burning the stubble. According to the latest data released by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Patar is at the forefront in terms of stubble burning, followed by Samane and Patiala at the third place. Air pollution is also increasing due to stubble burning incidents. The Air Quality Index (AQI) which was 75 till the middle of last month, has increased to 127. Along with the district administration, Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Gurnam Singh has also appealed to the farmers not to burn the stubble and said that by burning the stubble, many elements in the soil that increase the fertility are eliminated. Due to increase in air pollution, various health problems arise. For the benefit of themselves and the society, farmers should not burn the straw, but make bales of it and sell it for economic benefit.