As many as 202 cases of stubble burning were reported in Punjab on Thursday. So far this season, a total of 1,418 cases have been recorded in the state. In the past week, there has been a sharp rise in stubble burning incidents in Punjab, with 70 per cent of the total cases occurring in the last 10 days alone.
Over 280 such incidents were reported on Wednesday.
Currently, around 30 per cent of the paddy crop in Punjab is still standing in the fields. With farmers needing to sow wheat and potato crops immediately after harvesting, stubble burning cases are likely to increase in the coming days.
The highest number of stubble burning incidents have been reported in Tarn Taran, where 330 cases have been recorded so far.
Several farmers face FIRs
Following strict orders from the Supreme Court, the Punjab government has stepped up action against farmers involved in stubble burning. This season, 376 FIRs have been registered, although no arrests have been made yet. In addition, 432 cases have resulted in “red entries” in farmers’ land records, and fines amounting to Rs 24.25 lakh have been imposed.
Tarn Taran tops the state with 296 reported cases, followed by Amritsar with 173 incidents. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district, Sangrur, comes third with 170 cases.
Government points to decline in cases
Despite the recent rise in incidents, the Punjab government says there has been a 49 per cent drop in stubble burning cases compared to 2024. By October 29, 2,356 cases were reported last year, while 5,254 cases were recorded in 2023 and 12,112 in 2022 during the same period.
Delhi air shows little improvement
Delhi-NCR saw a marginal improvement in air quality on Friday, although it continues to fall within the "poor" category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi currently stands at 288, while Noida recorded an AQI of 233. In several areas across Delhi, the skies appeared clearer, and visibility showed noticeable improvement compared to the past few days.
