Patiala, Oct. 15 -- With 31 new cases, Punjab on Tuesday witnessed the highest single-day spike of the season in farm fire incidents, taking the total count to 165. According to data from the Punjab remote sensing centre (PRSC), Tarn Taran alone accounted for 20 of 31 cases, making it the second-worst-affected district with 47 total incidents of the season. Amritsar continues to top the list with 68 reported cases to date. Conventionally, the Punjab pollution control board (PPCB) begins monitoring stubble burning from September 15, coinciding with the start of early paddy harvesting, and continues until November 30 each year. In 2024, Punjab had recorded 10,909 incidents of farm fire, with Sangrur topping the charts at 1,725. Punjab has been witnessing an uptick in farm fire incidents over the past few days, with the paddy harvesting picking up pace across the state. Officials said that the number of cases was likely to rise further as harvesting intensifies and the ideal window to sow wheat (between Oct 15 to Nov 15) shortens. Officials said that 43 "red entries" had been made in the land records of violators, barring them from securing loans or selling and mortgaging their farmland. Additionally, the state has imposed environmental compensation of Rs.3.45 lakh across 70 cases, of which Rs.2.55 lakh has already been recovered. Farm fire cases typically increase during mid-October as farmers prepare their fields for the sowing of wheat after harvesting paddy. Despite repeated appeals by the government and strict monitoring by district administrations, farmers continue to resort to stubble burning, potentially due to a lack of alternatives and time constraints. Authorities said field inspections and satellite-based surveillance had already been intensified so as to take prompt action against violators and curb the rising trend of stubble burning in the state. The surge in stubble burning has started to reflect on the state's air quality. The air quality index (AQI) across major cities has worsened significantly, from last week's range of 50-60 to near or above 100 in many areas. The AQI is calculated by converting the concentration of key pollutants (like PM2.5, PM1O, O3, CO, SOx, and NOx) into a standardised scale that reflects health risk levels. Purportedly, paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution in the national capital region in October and November. As the window for the rabi crop wheat is very short after the paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly get rid of crop residue, paving the way for sowing of the next crop. As to the air pollution, the PPCB has warned that the situation could worsen in the coming days, especially around the Diwali festival, when weather conditions turn calm and smoke tends to linger longer in the atmosphere. On Tuesday, Jalandhar recorded an AQI of 113, making it the most polluted city in the state. It was followed closely by Ludhiana (111) and Patiala (110), both of which now fall in the 'moderate' air quality category. Officials said that with AQIs above 100, the air quality in Punjab has slipped from 'satisfactory' to 'moderate'. This classification indicates that prolonged exposure to the air may cause breathing discomfort, particularly among people suffering from lung and heart diseases. "As farm fire cases rise, air quality in the state has started deteriorating. The major cities, which had been enjoying air quality in the 'satisfactory' range, have already slipped into the 'moderate' category," a senior official from the PPCB said, pleading anonymity. Dr Sumeet Singh, nodal officer, national programme for climate change and human health, advised that people with pre-existing respiratory and cardiac conditions should remain cautious. "Vulnerable populations - including asthmatic, allergic, and COPD patients - should carry their inhalers and medications with them," he said....