Bathinda: On Tuesday, Punjab reported 74 new cases of farm fires, bringing the total count to 8,295 in the ongoing wheat harvesting season. Earlier, the state had recorded its highest single-day tally of 1,447 crop residue burning incidents on May 8.
District-Wise Breakdown
Ferozepur emerged as the worst-affected district, with a maximum of 792 crop residue burning cases reported as of May 12. It was followed by Bathinda (692), Tarn Taran (683), Amritsar (647), Sangrur (645), Moga (642), Gurdaspur (568), Ludhiana (491), Muktsar (445), Fazilka (371), Patiala (345), Barnala (338), Mansa (319), Faridkot (316), Jalandhar (226), Kapurthala (212), Hoshiarpur (200), and Malerkotla (144).
Legal Actions Taken
Authorities continue to take legal action against farmers involved in stubble burning. This includes registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), marking red entries in land records, and imposing environmental compensation. According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board's action taken report dashboard, as of May 11 evening, 443 FIRs have been filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant). Of these, 67 FIRs were filed on May 11 alone. District-wise, Moga recorded the highest number of FIRs at 82, followed by Sangrur (71), Patiala (59), Mansa (56), Fazilka (51), Barnala (38), Kapurthala (36), Gurdaspur (15), Faridkot (13), Bathinda (12), Jalandhar (4), Muktsar (3), Pathankot (2), and Ludhiana (1).
Additionally, 665 red entries have been made in land records, with 34 entries added on May 11. Environmental compensation totaling Rs 67.90 lakh has been imposed in 1,382 cases of farm fires, including Rs 7.15 lakh on May 11. Out of this, Rs 365,000 has been recovered so far. Warning or show-cause notices have been issued to 125 nodal and supervisory officers, with 19 notices issued in a single day.
Farm Fire Cases in Other States
On Tuesday, Haryana reported five farm fires, while Madhya Pradesh recorded 225 and Uttar Pradesh 69. The total number of farm fire cases reported across the country this season stands at 62,411. Madhya Pradesh accounts for the largest share, with 35,967 burning cases, representing 57.6% of the total. Among districts, Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of 4,221 burning cases. As of May 12, 96 districts across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana had recorded over 100 burning cases each.
Seasonal Comparison
During the paddy harvesting in the 2025 kharif season, Madhya Pradesh had also topped the list in stubble burning, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The cumulative crop residue burning cases reported up to May 12 are as follows: Madhya Pradesh 35,967, Uttar Pradesh 14,835, Punjab 8,295, Haryana 3,252, and Delhi 62, making a total of 62,411.
Legal measures are ongoing, with authorities emphasizing strict enforcement to curb the practice of stubble burning, which contributes significantly to air pollution in the region.
