FIRs in Punjab, Haryana for stubble burning drop by 2/3rds this year, RTI reveals

The RTI, filed by Noida-based activist Amit Gupta to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), recorded data between September 15 and November 30.

The number of first information reports (FIRs) filed against farmers over stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has dipped sharply this year as compared to last year’s winter, as per a new Right to Information (RTI) report. A cumulative of 2,193 FIRs were filed this year as compared to 6,469 in 2024.

Stubble burning in Punjab last year. (PTI)

The RTI, filed by Noida-based activist Amit Gupta to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), recorded data between September 15 and November 30.

The report, dated December 5, stated that fines amounting to ₹21.8 crore in Punjab and ₹21.87 crore in Haryana were imposed for stubble burning last year, as against penalties worth ₹12.58 crore in Punjab and ₹12.65 crore in Haryana have been issued this year. 

It also cited information from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), as per which the total number of farm fire incidents in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and the NCR districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh was 12,750 in 2024. These cases have been logged at 6,080 in 2025.

The FIRs are registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant.

HT graphic

Individually, Punjab had 5,114 fires this winter as compared to 10,909 in last year. Haryana recorded 662 farm fires this year as against 406. Delhi had five instances this year as compared to 13 last winter. The NCR districts of Rajasthan have seen an increase, with 18 cases this winter, from eight last year. In the NCR districts of UP, 281 fires were witnessed this winter, down from 414 last year.

Gupta said the report also shows that stubble burning is not the main reason behind air pollution. “The data shows a clear reduction in farm fires. However, November has still been among the most polluted months in recent years. This also indicates that stubble burning is not the main reason behind the severe air pollution in Delhi-NCR,” he said.

A report by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on Saturday had also revealed lower contribution from farm fires to Delhi’s air pollution this winter.

As per the report, the average contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM 2.5 this November stood at 7%, down from 20% last year, while the peak contribution fell to 22%, as against 38% in 2024.