Punjab records 484 stubble burning cases, Tarn Taran tops list

Despite the government's repeated efforts and awareness programmes to highlight the ill effects of stubble burning among the farmers, Punjab recorded 484 crop residue burning incidents between September 15 and October 22. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data showed a sharp increase of 296 cases from the 188 cases recorded till October 16, with Tarn Taran district topping the list.

The intense stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is often blamed for the rise in air pollution across Delhi-NCR.

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Tarn Taran topped the list

According to the data from the PPCB, Tarn Taran witnessed the highest number of farm fires at 154, followed by Amritsar (126), Ferozepur (55), Patiala (31) and Gurdaspur (23), as many farmers continue to ignore government appeals to stop crop residue burning.

The data further showed that 184 FIRs, including 61 in Tarn Taran and 53 in Amritsar, were registered in connection with farm fire incidents under Section 223 (disobedience of order promulgated by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

As the window for the Rabi crop, wheat, is very short after paddy harvest in October and November, some farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear crop residue. Fines amounting to Rs 11.45 lakh have been imposed as environmental compensation in 226 cases so far, according to PPCB data. Of the total fine, Rs 7.40 lakh has been collected so far.

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187 red entries

State authorities have also marked 187 red entries, mostly in Tarn Taran and Amritsar, in the land records of farmers who burnt crop residue. A red entry bars farmers from obtaining loans against their farmland or selling it.

According to PPCB data, the total area under paddy cultivation in Punjab this year is 31.72 lakh hectares. As of October 22, 36.71 per cent of this area had been harvested.

While the state government has launched a campaign to highlight the ill-effects of stubble burning and the benefits of crop residue management, many farmers still use the former method to clear crop residue.

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Data show decline in practice

Punjab saw 10,909 farm fires in 2024 compared to 36,663 in 2023, registering a 70 per cent decrease in the practice.

The state reported 49,922 farm fire incidents in 2022, 71,304 in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019, and 50,590 in 2018, with several districts — including Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda, and Amritsar — witnessing a high number of stubble-burning cases over the years.

(With inputs from agency)

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