Significant reductions in fire counts were observed in districts like Gurdaspur and Muktsar, with decreases of up to 71%. Moderate decreases were noted in districts such as Bathinda and Faridkot, with reductions ranging from 22% to 45%. Some districts, including Amritsar and Sangrur, saw minimal reductions. Meanwhile, a few places like Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar experienced slight increases in fire counts.The analysis shows that Delhi’s air health was significantly impacted by fire incidents in Punjab and Haryana, which contributed to a 103-unit increase in Delhi’s AQI, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated fire management and air quality interventions across states.Data shows that on days without fires, Delhi’s AQI averaged 175 (“Moderate”). However, during the same stubble burning season, AQI increased to 233 (“Poor”), and on days when fires exceeded climatological averages, AQI spiked to 337 (“Very Poor”).The findings emphasize the need for sustained fire management strategies and cross-state collaboration between Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi to mitigate the effects of stubble burning on air quality.“The reduction in fire incidents across Punjab and Haryana is a mixed trend,” said Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends.“However, the total number of comparative counts is low. Delhi continues to struggle with poor air health. While each stakeholder, from farmers to government to scientists, is doing their best, the gap lies in communication,” Khosla further adds.
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