The number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana since September 15 has reduced by around 56 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, compared to the corresponding period last year.

In the period between September 15 and October 29, the cumulative number of farm fires in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and NCR areas of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh has reduced from 13,964 in 2022 to 6,391 in 2023, the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said.

There were 11,461 stubble-burning cases in the corresponding period in 2021, it said.

In Punjab, there were 5,254 stubble burning incidents during this 45-day period this year, compared to 12,112 in 2022 and 9,001 in 2021. This represents a reduction of 56.6 per cent and 41.6 per cent, respectively.

Haryana reported 1,094 stubble burning cases during this 45-day period this year and it is significantly lower than the 1,813 in 2022 and 2,413 in 2021. This reflects a reduction of 39.7 per cent and 54.7 per cent, respectively.

The Central government has allocated approximately Rs. 3,333 crore under the Crop Residue Management Scheme to the state governments of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.

These funds support the subsidised procurement of machines by individual farmers, custom hiring centres and cooperatives for in-situ management of paddy straw and for baling/raking machines and equipment for ex-situ applications.

The total number of crop residue management (CRM) machines available is 1,17,672 in Punjab, 80,071 in Haryana, and 7,986 in UP-NCR. Additional procurement is underway to acquire 23,000 CRM machines in Punjab, 7,572 in Haryana, and 595 in Uttar Pradesh to augment their availability during the current harvesting season.

While the reduction in paddy stubble burning incidents is evident, the recent days have seen a sudden surge in Punjab. It is expected that harvesting activities will peak in the coming weeks. On October 29 alone, Punjab reported 1,068 stubble burning cases, the CAQM said. 

Fans of Shah Rukh Khan are gearing up for a four-day celebration to mark the superstar’s 58th birthday on November 2. The celebration will combine charitable initiatives with festivities, including health check-ups, food distribution, blanket distribution, movie screenings, and visits to cancer patients and an old-age home. Fans from more than 100 cities in India and over 25 countries are expected to participate in the celebration.

Mouni Roy ventured into Bollywood in 2018 with the Akshay Kumar starrer Gold. In the Ayan Mukerji-directed fantasy drama Brahmastra, which featured Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan in pivotal roles, Mouni Roy played the main antagonist.

During a recent conversation with a leading news portal, Mouni Roy shared how her work in Brahmastra has been a game-changer for her. She mentioned that while her personal life remains unchanged, professionally, the film has earned her newfound respect in the film industry and from her audience. She expressed gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support since the beginning of her career.

In Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, Mouni Roy’s character meets an end as she sacrifices her life to release the long-imprisoned God Dev, utilising the power of Brahmastra.

When asked about the possibility of her character being revived in the sequel, Mouni expressed her desire for it to happen. However, she remained uncertain about the specifics of the second part of the movie. Several reports suggest that Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone will play prominent roles in the sequel of Brahmastra.