Patiala, Oct. 11 -- After no farm fires for 10 straight days since September 30, Punjab on Friday reported six fresh incidents of stubble burning, taking the total count during the ongoing paddy harvest season to 102. The figure so far, however, is significantly lower than last year, when 390 cases were reported during the same period. In 2023, the tally had already touched 1,037 by this time. According to data compiled by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Amritsar continues to be the worst-affected district, with 58 cases reported so far. Tarn Taran follows with 13 cases, while other districts have reported single-digitfigures. Agriculture experts said the paddy harvest had been slow this year, as rainfall during the first week of October delayed harvesting. But with dry weather returning and expected to continue, as forecasted by the India Meteorological Department, harvesting was expected to pick up pace. Conventionally, the board 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. Interestingly, this year's unusual lull in farm fire detections came at a time when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - whose satellite imagery is frequently used to track stubble burning - suspended its operations due to a lapse in federal government funding in the USA. Of the 102 cases recorded so far by PPCB, only 53 have been physically verified by field officers Initiating strict action, the Punjab government has registered 58 FIRs against farmers engaging in stubble burning. Officials said 35 "red entries" had also been made in land records of violators, barring them from securing loans and selling or mortgaging their farmland. In addition, the state has imposed environmental compensation amounting to Rs.2.55 lakh across 53 cases. Of this, Rs.2.10 lakh has already been recovered. PPCB officials said the next two weeks would be crucial as farmers rush to complete harvesting, which was delayed due to untimely rainfall in the first week of October. The shortened sowing window for wheat had increased the likelihood of more farm fire incidents in the coming days, particularly around Diwali, they added. "Our teams are on the ground and working around the clock. As a result, we have been able to reduce farm fire cases as compared to previous years," said Rajiv Gupta, nodal officer, PPCB....