PUNJAB

· 30% rise in stubble burning in Punjab

ð The cases of crop residue fire — a major air pollutant in Delhi-NCR — saw a 30 per cent rise in Punjab after the harvest season this year compared to last year.

ð The substantial increase was recorded despite Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s fervent appeals to the farmers not to go for the quicker option of getting rid of the crop residue by setting those afire.

ð Last year, Punjab saw 50,495 cases throughout the rice harvesting season that lasts till November 15.

ð Burning of crop residue, a common practice by Punjab and Haryana growers, leads to an estimated economic loss of over $30 billion annually, besides being a leading risk factor for acute respiratory infection, especially among children, a study at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and its partner institutes said this year.

ð Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, bordering Pakistan, reported the highest number of farm fire cases at 2,520, followed by Ferozepur (2,269) and Sangrur (2,157).

ð To quickly clear the field for the next crop, they burn the leftover stubble rather than using the traditional method of clearing it by hand.

ð A new analysis of the air quality life index (AQLI) by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) on October 31 showed the average citizen living in the Indo-Gangetic plain region can expect to lose about seven years of life expectancy. Particulate pollution is high in Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

ð It showed a 72 per cent increase in pollution from 1998 to 2016 in the region that is home to about 40 per cent of India’s population. To ensure zero crop-residue burning, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has adopted 1,00,000 acres of farmland in nearly 100 villages in Ludhiana, Barnala and Patiala districts of Punjab and Rohtak, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts of Haryana.

ð Equipment has been installed to monitor village-level air pollution data as well as to measure the impact of reduced stubble burning. The Punjab Government has already warned many a time the farmers against stubble burning and said those cultivating panchayat lands would be barred from taking it on lease if found indulging in crop residue burning.

ð Nearly 1.37 lakh acres of panchayat land is under agriculture. The State has also ordered impounding of combine harvesters functioning without a super straw management system.

ð This fiscal, the Government aims to provide 26,000 machines for in-situ management of paddy straw.

ð The area under paddy cultivation in Punjab 30 lakh hectares, a marginal decline from last year’s 31.03 lakh hectares.

INTERNATIONAL

Italy to make climate change study compulsory in schools

Italy will next year become the world’s first country to make it compulsory for schoolchildren to study climate change and sustainable development.

All state schools would dedicate 33 hours per year, almost one hour per school week, to climate change issues from the start of the next academic year in September.

Many traditional subjects, such as geography, mathematics and physics, would also be studied from the perspective of sustainable development.

NATIONAL

· Centre plans to adopt several measures to tackle Stubble burning incidents

Centre is planning to adopt several measures to tackle Stubble burning incidents. ICAR’s Creams Laboratory recorded a reduction of 12.01% in incidents of Stubble burning compared to the year 2018.

Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab have recorded a reduction of 48.2%, 11.7%, and 8.7%, respectively.

A total of 31,402 burning incidents were detected in the three states between 1 October 2019 and 3 November 2019, among which 25366 in Punjab, 4414 in Haryana, and 1622 in Uttar Pradesh.

As per the recommendations by the committee, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has formulated a “Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the State of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & NCT of Delhi” Scheme which was included in the 2018-19 Budget.

Under the scheme, the Central government allocated Rs.1151.80 crores for the period from 2018-19 to 2019-20. The scheme aims to combat air pollution. It also subsidizes machinery that is required for in-situ management of crop residue in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and NCT of Delhi. The scheme will provide financial assistance of 50% of the cost to the farmers who purchase the in-situ crop residue management machines on an individual ownership basis.

Gujarat government gives nod for world’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar
Gujarat Government has given its nod to the world’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar.

The U.K. based Foresight group and Mumbai based Padmanabh Mafatlal group joint venture will invest Rs.1900 crore to set up a CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar port.

The proposed CNG port terminal will have an annual capacity of 6 million metric tones, which will increase the total handling capacity of the port to 9 million metric tones.

550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

The 550th birth anniversary of first Sikh guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev is being celebrated as Prakash Parv.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent more than 15 years at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he attained enlightenment.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar will visit Huzoor Sahib Sachkhand Gurudwara in Nanded.

Nanded holds great significance for Sikhs. It was in Nanded that the Tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji mandated that the Guru Granth Sahib will be the guiding light for the Sikhs like a true Guru in future.

Guru Nanak Dev was born on the full moon day of Kartik month in 1469.

Every year, the Prakash Parv is celebrated on the same day, also known as Kartik Poornima.

Shafali Verma becomes the youngest Indian to score international fifty

Fifteen-year-old Shafali Verma became the youngest Indian cricketer to score a half-century in international cricket.
Her 49-ball 73 in the first T20 International against West Indies surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 30-year-old record.

Shafali achieved the feat at 15 years and 285 days, surpassing batting legend Tendulkar, who had notched up his maiden Test fifty at 16 years and 214 days.

Javelin thrower Sundar Singh wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships

Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won India’s second gold defending his World Para Athletics Championships title in the men’s F46 javelin throw event in Dubai.
With this, India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic Games quota, along with the bronze winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku.

Gurjar came up with his season’s best effort of 61.22m to claim the top spot.

India now has two gold, two silver and a bronze in the Championships.

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