Ludhiana, Nov. 11 -- The farm fire cases in the district have risen almost threefold in the last five days. By November 5, the district had 57 cases of farm fires. This rose to 148 cases by November 9, as per the data shared by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

FIRs have been registered in 26 of these cases as well. According to the PPCB, a farmer with a land holding under two acres is charged Rs.5,000 in penalty for farm fire, a farmer with a land holding between two and five acres is charged Rs.10,000. Those having above five acres are charged Rs.30,000.

The PPCB has imposed Rs.3 lakh in environmental compensation (EC) in these cases. Around Rs.1,25,000 of this has been recovered so far. Besides penalties, 22 cases have also ...