BATHINDA: Shifting to paddy cultivation from cotton by several farmers in southern Malwa region of Punjab, also known as the cotton belt, over the last four years has given rise to cases of stubble burning . Cotton was sown over 4.20 lakh hectares in 2014-15 that came down to 2.84 lakh hectares in 2018-19 with farmers switching over to paddy leading to more cases of stubble burning.Southern Malwa continues to record more cases of paddy stubble burning this year as compared to 2017. Out of total of 43,353 cases of stubble burning in Punjab, as many as 22,379 incidents were reported from seven districts of south Malwa till November 12 this year, which is 51.5% of the total cases of crop fire. The seven districts of south Malwa are Bathinda , Mansa, Muktsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Moga and Faridkot.On November 12, a total of 1,227 cases were recorded whereas on the corresponding day in 2017 there were only 21 such instances.In 2017-18 crop year, the Punjab agriculture department had initially estimated cotton acreage at 3.82 lakh hectares, but later brought it down to 2.91 lakh hectares. In the 2015-2016 season, the crop was sown over 3.39 lakh hectares and due to large scale damage to cotton on account of whitefly attack, the area coverage dropped sharply to 2.85 lakh hectares in 2016-17.Punjab agriculture director Jasbir Singh Bains said though not much area had been shifted to paddy from cotton in the last two years, transition made a difference and could have led to higher instances of stubble burning in the region.Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) member secretary Karunesh Garg said, “Though cases of paddy stubble burning this year may increase as compared to 2017 year, the acreage will be less than previous year as the per initial estimates.”

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