Punjab records 220 farm fires this season, surpasses last year's count for same period

Punjab has recorded 220 farm-fire incidents so far this kharif season, exceeding the 208 cases reported during the corresponding period last year as paddy harvesting gathers pace. The figures, reported in the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) monitoring report dated October 17, come amid intensified efforts to prevent stubble burning ahead of the winter pollution season.

According to the report, the state recorded 220 incidents under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) protocol. Fields had been inspected at 191 locations, while crop burning was physically verified at 68 sites.

The annual farm-fire tracking period begins on September 15, around two weeks before paddy procurement starts on October 1. Punjab recorded 5,114 stubble-burning cases last year, compared with 10,909 in 2024.

Tarn Taran and Amritsar account for 80% of incidents

Farm fires have been concentrated in two districts, with Tarn Taran and Amritsar together accounting for 176 of the 220 incidents reported across 23 districts, or around 80% of the total.

Tarn Taran recorded the highest number, at 95, followed by Amritsar with 81. Ferozepur reported 10 incidents, while Gurdaspur and Muktsar recorded five each.

Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Moga, Patiala, Mohali and Sangrur reported three incidents each. Fazilka recorded two, while Faridkot, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar reported one each. The remaining seven districts reported no farm-fire incidents.

Stubble burning raises concerns over winter air pollution

Stubble burning is a major contributor to seasonal air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), particularly during October and November. With the window between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing being short, farmers often burn crop residue to clear their fields quickly before preparing the land for the next crop.

Fireworks during the festive season, especially around Diwali, can further worsen air quality. Restrictions on firecrackers are imposed every year, but violations continue to be reported.

The Centre has stepped up efforts to prevent crop-residue burning. The CAQM deployed flying squads across 34 districts in Punjab and Haryana from October 1 to November 30 to strengthen field-level monitoring and enforcement during the paddy harvesting season.

Fines, FIRs and notices issued over violations

Enforcement measures have also intensified in Punjab. According to the October 17 report, environmental compensation totalling ₹3.35 lakh was imposed in 65 cases, of which ₹1.45 lakh had been recovered by that date.

Authorities registered 19 first information reports (FIRs) under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), made 41 red entries in farm records and issued 94 warning or show-cause notices to nodal and supervisory officers.

Tarn Taran accounted for 12 of the 19 FIRs, followed by Amritsar with three. Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Sangrur recorded one FIR each.

Tarn Taran also saw the highest environmental compensation, at ₹1.35 lakh, followed by Amritsar at ₹1.30 lakh. The figures indicate that a substantial portion of the compensation imposed had yet to be recovered.

Ground-level monitoring intensified as harvesting picks up

With the seasonal tally crossing 200 incidents, authorities are stepping up field inspections and enforcement as harvesting gathers pace following the rains last week.

Officials are using satellite-based fire alerts, physical inspections and district-level monitoring to identify incidents and discourage farmers from burning paddy residue.

Rajiv Gupta, nodal officer of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, said efforts were under way to keep the number of farm fires lower this year than last year.

Multiple studies have suggested that some farmers set fire to their fields after 3 pm to evade satellite detection. The government has consequently called for more intensive ground-level monitoring to identify such incidents and strengthen enforcement.