Punjab Reports Season’s Highest Rise in Stubble Burning, 147 Farm Fires in a Day

Punjab Sees Season’s Sharpest Jump in Stubble Burning: 147 Cases in a Day

Punjab on Monday reported the highest single-day spike in stubble burning this season, with 147 farm fire incidents, according to data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). This pushed the total number of such cases since September 15 to 890, marking a sharp rise despite repeated appeals from the state government to curb the practice.

The surge was led by Tarn Taran and Amritsar, which remain major paddy-growing districts. Officials said the jump reflects farmers’ efforts to quickly clear paddy fields for Rabi crop sowing, mainly wheat. While stubble burning is a fast method for field preparation, it continues to have severe environmental consequences, worsening air pollution across North India, including the Delhi-NCR region.

Between October 20 and October 28, farm fire cases in Punjab rose by over 500, climbing from 353 to 890.

District-Wise Breakdown (as of October 28)

• Tarn Taran: 249 cases
• Amritsar: 169
• Ferozepur: 87
• Sangrur: 79
• Patiala: 46
• Gurdaspur: 41
• Bathinda: 38
• Kapurthala: 35
• Ludhiana: 9
• Malerkotla: 4

Hoshiarpur & SBS Nagar: 3 each

Pathankot & Rupnagar: No cases reported

PPCB data shows that 31.72 lakh hectares of land in Punjab are under paddy cultivation this year, with nearly 60% harvested by October 26.

Authorities have intensified enforcement to discourage stubble burning. So far, ₹19.80 lakh in environmental fines have been imposed in 386 cases, with ₹13.40 lakh already recovered. Additionally, 302 FIRs have been filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for disobeying official orders.