Compared to the previous year, farm fires have decreased in Haryana by 37% and Punjab by 27%.

A decrease in agricultural fires appears to be a result of farmers in Punjab and Haryana implementing alternative farming methods.

The Union environment ministry reports that there has been a noticeable decrease in the burning of stubble across Punjab and Haryana. Punjab saw 83,002 fires in 2020; by 2021, there were only 71,304; by 2022, there were 49,922; and by 2023, there were much fewer fires—36,663—than in 2020.

This suggests that there will be 27% fewer farm fires in 2023 than there were the year before. Compared to 2021 and 2020, where there was a 49 percent and 56 percent decrease, respectively, the reduction is even more significant.

The pattern is the same in Haryana. There were 4,202 agricultural fires in 2020; this number rose to 6,987 in 2021; however, it fell to 3,661 in 2022 and then to 2,303 in 2023. This is a reduction of 37% from 2022 to 2023, with notable reductions of 67% from 2021 to 2022 and 45% from 2020 to 2021.

Also read: Punjab receives a strong warning from the Supreme Court not to burn their stubble in the smog of Delhi.

Additionally, a rising trend in the number of days with high fire counts is revealed by the data. There were only four days in Punjab in 2023 when the number of fires topped 2000, compared to 16 in 2020, 14 in 2021, and 10 in 2022. Similarly, from 16 in 2020, 32 in 2021, and 15 in 2022, Haryana had only three days in 2023 where the number of farm fires exceeded 100.

These figures show that the area has made a laudable effort to reduce stubble burning. A decrease in agricultural fires appears to be a result of farmers in Punjab and Haryana implementing alternative farming methods. Positive changes in agricultural practices are reflected in the steady decline in the number of fires over time.

It’s critical to recognize the contribution of government campaigns and awareness-raising efforts, which most likely helped to inform farmers about the dangers of stubble burning on the environment. In order to address this issue, it is imperative that farmers are offered viable alternatives and that sustainable farming techniques be encouraged.

But there are still issues, as seen by the rise in fire incidents in a few Haryanan areas. The overall effectiveness of stubble burning reduction efforts can be further increased by comprehending the variables causing this increase and putting targeted measures into practice in these particular areas.