CAQM holds meeting on stubble burning with Punjab, Haryana, and UP

CAQM urged Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to submit comprehensive action plans by May 11 to combat paddy stubble burning and improve air quality.

New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held a review meeting with officials from the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, in which the states were directed to submit revised and comprehensive action plans by May 11, district wise reports on status of co-firing in brick kilns from November 2025 to April 2026, and to intensify preventive and awareness activities.

States were directed to submit revised and comprehensive action plans by May 11 (PTI)

In a statement on Thursday, the CAQM stated that the meeting was held to review the preparedness of states for eliminating paddy stubble burning incidents this year. “During the meeting, the urgent need for systematic and coordinated preparedness ahead of the forthcoming paddy harvesting season was highlighted. The importance of strengthening both in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management mechanisms, along with focused enforcement and awareness measures, was also emphasized to ensure effective implementation at the field level.”

In June last year, the CAQM had directed all brick kilns in Haryana and Punjab to adopt co-firing of paddy straw based pellets, aiming for 20% co firing by November 2025, 30% by November 2026, 40% by November 2027, and 50% by November 2028. As part of the directives issued in Wednesday’s meeting, the governments of Punjab and Haryana have to submit district-wise reports on the status of the same for the period from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026. The government of Punjab was also directed to make a dedicated portal for the monitoring of compliance with the co-firing directive, on the lines of the existing portal made by the Haryana government.

All three states were also directed to submit reports on the status of functional Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines within two months, increase measures to avoid accidental fires which cause a rise in stubble burning, and intensify Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities to increase awareness and compliance with measures to manage crop residue measures.

In its statement, the CAQM stated that while reviewing the status of wheat residue burning incidents, it was found that from April 1 this year to Thursday, Punjab recorded 3,729 such incidents, Haryana 2,683, and Uttar Pradesh (NCR) 176.

The CAQM stated that the states had presented their respective action plans for the elimination of paddy stubble burning in the meeting, “Further, it was observed that stubble burning is not merely a seasonal concern but a larger air pollution mitigation challenge throughout the year affecting the ‘ambient air quality across the region. It was stressed that elimination of stubble burning requires sustained and coordinated efforts by all concerned States, Districts and enforcement agencies, with particular emphasis on effective implementation at the grassroots level,” said the CAQM.