Over 700 cases of stubble burning have been reported in Haryana this harvesting season even as the Haryana government on Monday claimed reduced incidence of stubble burning in the state this year as compared to the previous year.

According to the data obtained from the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC), 714 cases of stubble burning have been reported across the state since 15 September to 22 October.

“In 2021, the number was significantly higher at 1,508. In contrast, the neighboring state of Punjab has reported 1,794 incidents of stubble burning this year,” an official spokesperson said.

He said the government was diligently working towards achieving the target of zero stubble burning and has implemented stringent measures to deter farmers from engaging in this practice. “This includes the use of drones for monitoring and preventing stubble burning, as well as the registration of FIRs against those who burn stubble,” the spokesperson said.

He said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was committed to completely eliminating the stubble burning from the state through collaborative efforts with the government and farmer awareness initiatives.

“The state government is actively pursuing concrete measures for stubble management, which are yielding positive results. The Haryana government has taken the issue of stubble burning seriously and in collaboration with farmers, has made substantial progress in reducing such incidents,” the spokesperson said.

He said the government was actively conducting awareness campaigns to discourage stubble burning and is also incentivizing farmers with an amount of Rs 1000 per acre for practicing proper stubble management and refraining from burning crop residue.

This apart, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department is providing various machines and equipment to farmers to facilitate effective stubble management.

“The consistent decline in stubble burning incidents in the state underscores the success of the Haryana government’s efforts in promoting responsible crop residue management among farmers. .

In 2022, 3661 cases of stubble burning were reported in Haryana. In 2021, the number of stubble burning cases was 6987 and the same was 4202 in 2020.