Patiala: Punjab on Sunday recorded 67 new stubble burning incidents—highest single-day figure of the season. Of these, Tarn Taran reported 25 cases, while Amritsar reported 24, making the two border districts the worst-affected. The total count now stands at 308.
According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data, Tarn Taran has recorded the maximum number of farm fires—113—so far this season, followed by Amritsar at 104.
Punjab has been witnessing a sharp rise in stubble-burning incidents over the past few days. In the last 72 hours alone, the state has reported 120 cases. While the harvesting season began in early October, untimely rainfall in the first week of the month delayed operations. However, the dry weather over the past two weeks has now expedited harvesting across several districts.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police has registered 132 FIRs against farmers for burning stubble this season. Of these, 50 FIRs have been filed in Tarn Taran alone, the district reporting the highest number of cases so far. The farmers have been booked under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant.
Officials said 87 “red entries” have been made in the land records of violators, barring them from securing loans or selling and mortgaging their farmland. The state has also imposed environmental compensation worth ₹5.60 lakh across 113 cases, of which ₹4.15 lakh has been recovered.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said 87 “red entries” have been made in the land records of violators, barring them from securing loans or selling and mortgaging their farmland. The state has also imposed environmental compensation worth ₹5.60 lakh across 113 cases, of which ₹4.15 lakh has been recovered.
{{/usCountry}}Farm fire incidents typically surge during mid-October as farmers prepare their fields for sowing wheat after paddy harvesting. Despite repeated appeals by the government and monitoring by district administrations, farmers continue to resort to stubble burning, reportedly due to a lack of viable alternatives and time constraints.
The PPCB begins monitoring stubble burning every year from September 15, coinciding with the start of early paddy harvesting, and continues till November 30. In 2024, Punjab had reported 10,909 farm fire incidents, with Sangrur topping the list at 1,725.
Although this year’s numbers are lower than the last year’s during the same period — 308 cases compared to 1,393 till October 19, 2024 — officials warn that the figures are likely to rise sharply in the coming days. So far, only 27% of the 31.7 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation have been harvested. While Amritsar and Tarn Taran have crossed the 50% mark, paddy harvesting is still below 30% in Patiala, Barnala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Mansa, and Ferozepur, all part of the Malwa region which contributes the most to stubble burning.