New Delhi:Â Stubble-burning incidents in states with major paddy cultivation have reduced by 54.2% during the recent 45-day paddy harvesting season in comparison to the same period last year, the Union government told parliament.Paddy stubble burning is the practice of burning leftover plant debris after harvesting rice to prepare fields for wheat crops. The Union government data estimates that 38% of the air pollution level is contributed by stubble burning.According to the data presented by Union agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister, Arjun Munda, to the parliament on Tuesday, December 12, the number of incidents reduced from 13,964 (in 2022) to 6,391 (in 2023) during the September 15 to October 29 period across Punjab, Haryana, NCR-Uttar Pradesh, NCR-Rajasthan, and Delhi. In 2021, these regions together accounted for 11,461 stubble-burning incidents in the same period.Punjab and Haryana had registered 12,112 and 1,813 incidents, respectively, in 2022. The corresponding figures for this year came down to 5,254 and 1,094 in the September 15 to October 29 period.The agriculture minister told the House that a satellite remote sensing system is in place to track active fires. The system was developed by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space Laboratory, Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.On June 10, 2021, the Commission for Air Quality Management, through statutory directions, came out with a framework for control/elimination of crop residue burning, mandating governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to develop state-specific actionable plans. The plans, the minister said, include proper implementation of in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy straw, effective monitoring/enforcement, and the prohibition of stubble burning.Meanwhile, the overall air quality in Delhi stood in the ‘very poor’ category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 326, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data registered at 7 am on Tuesday, December 12, according to LiveMint. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, 401 and 450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe-plus’.