Central Air Quality Body Issues Sweeping Directive to Northern States on Wheat Stubble
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued a comprehensive statutory mandate to northern Indian states, compelling them to eliminate wheat-stubble burning entirely ahead of the 2026 harvest season. This decisive action targets Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, requiring them to implement high-precision enforcement strategies to curb the toxic smog that plagues the region annually.
New Parali Protection Force and Nighttime Patrols
The centerpiece of this ambitious 2026 strategy is the creation of a dedicated Parali Protection Force (PPF). These specialized units will operate at the district and block levels, comprising personnel from police departments, agricultural officers, and administrative staff. In a significant escalation of monitoring efforts, enforcement agencies have been ordered to intensify patrolling during late evening hours. This tactical move aims to catch farmers who might attempt to evade satellite detection, which typically occurs during daylight passes.
Authorities have been instructed to map every farm in every village across these states. Nodal officers will be assigned to small clusters of farmers, with a strict limit of 100 farmers per officer to ensure granular, effective monitoring. The commission has mandated a strict environmental compensation mechanism for those found violating the burning ban, adding financial deterrence to the enforcement framework.
Addressing the Root Cause: Crop Residue Management
Recognizing that enforcement alone is insufficient, the CAQM directive requires states to overhaul their crop-residue management (CRM) infrastructure to provide viable alternatives to burning. Farmers will utilize a dedicated mobile application to book CRM machinery during the peak harvest window, streamlining access to essential equipment. Small and marginal farmers are to be provided with rent-free machinery through custom hiring centres (CHCs), removing economic barriers to compliance.
Furthermore, districts must formulate comprehensive plans to convert agricultural stubble into valuable products such as fodder or industrial fuel. This initiative aims to establish a year-round supply chain that reduces the economic incentive to burn crop residue, transforming waste into resource.
Strategic Shift from Paddy to Wheat Season Focus
This directive represents a significant strategic shift in air quality management. While measures for the traditional monsoon-season paddy fires are now well-established, the CAQM has identified targeted wheat-season interventions as critical to mitigating year-round air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). The urgency stems from 2025 satellite data that revealed more than 12,000 fire events across the region during the April-May window, highlighting the growing problem of springtime wheat harvest burning.
The framework for these actions was finalized during the Commission's 26th meeting in late December. To ensure accountability and implementation, states are now required to submit monthly progress reports to the CAQM, verifying that the Action Plans are being executed in letter and spirit. This systematic approach aims to transform agricultural practices and protect public health from hazardous air pollution.
