CHANDIGARH, Oct. 8 -- Haryana government on Tuesday said that till October 6, this paddy harvesting season, there were only seven cases of crop residue burning in the state compared to 150 during the corresponding period last year.

A government spokesperson said that chief secretary Anurag Rastogi held a meeting here on Tuesday to review the steps taken to deal with the farm fires.

Of the seven active fire locations reported, action has been taken in three cases by issuing challans, lodging of FIRs, and making red entries in farm records. Two of the reported fires were found to be non-agricultural in nature.

The spokesperson said that all the districts have set up "parali protection forces" to deal with violators, including nodal offic...