Sharp Rise in Paddy‑Stubble Burning Challenges Punjab’s Pollution Controls
PATIALA, November 9 – Punjab’s efforts to control air‑pollution through stringent anti‑burning regulations encountered a major setback during the Diwali celebrations, when 1,152 additional cases of rice‑stubble burning were reported in a single day. The total number of violations since the season’s monitoring began on 15 September now stands at 4,459 – a 34.8 % jump in just 24 hours, the largest surge recorded this year.
The cumulative tally rose steadily from 2,787 incidents on 5 November, to 3,144 on 6 November, and 3,307 on 7 November, before the Diwali spike. Patiala district alone saw its count rise from 196 to 288 within one day, reflecting 92 new burn sites.
State officials inspected 2,998 fields, confirming active stubble combustion at 1,310 locations. An extra 122 sites, not originally marked as high‑risk, displayed burn evidence, indicating a widening scope of non‑compliance.
Financial deterrents have been applied in 1,228 cases, resulting in a total fine of ₹6.255 million. Collected amounts total ₹3.26 million, with the balance still pending. In Patiala, 68 penalties totalling ₹3.45 lakh were imposed, of which ₹1.25 lakh has been recovered.
Law‑enforcement actions include 884 FIRs lodged statewide and red‑entry marks against 1,017 farmers in revenue records. Moreover, 1,103 show‑cause notices have been issued to monitoring officials, and 18 supervisory officers face legal action under Section 14 of the CQM Act.
District‑wise, Tarn Taran recorded the highest number of incidents (654), followed by Firozpur (592) and Sangrur (488). Other notable figures include Bathinda (406), Amritsar (247), and Patiala (288).
Despite the administration’s ongoing awareness campaigns promoting alternative residue‑management techniques, the Diwali‑day surge demonstrates that enforcement alone may not suffice. With 91.40 % of the state’s 32.87 lakh hectares of paddy already harvested, the window for preventing further stubble fires is narrowing, placing renewed emphasis on farmer outreach and stricter compliance mechanisms.