Punjab Farm Fires Increase, Madhya Pradesh Dominates Crop Residue Burning Cases
Bathinda: Punjab reported 16 new farm fire incidents on Monday, raising the cumulative count for the current season to 30 in the state. This development highlights ongoing challenges in agricultural residue management across India.
Madhya Pradesh Leads with Overwhelming Numbers
Madhya Pradesh continued to top the list with 18,912 cases of crop residue burning recorded so far this season. On Monday alone, out of 933 incidents reported across five states, Madhya Pradesh accounted for 536 cases. The total count for the season has jumped to 26,909, with Madhya Pradesh registering a staggering 70% of these cases.
Historical Data and Regional Trends
According to the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS), Madhya Pradesh has reported over 50% of crop residue burning cases in the last five years. Since 2022, a total of 225,448 cases have been documented, with Madhya Pradesh recording 113,598 cases up to April 20, 2026. This is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 53,911 cases, Punjab with 48,007, Haryana with 9,812, and Delhi with 120 cases.
District-Level Insights and Seasonal Patterns
The maximum number of burning cases, 2,857, were reported from Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. As of April 20 this season, 39 districts across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have each reported over 100 burning cases. During the paddy harvesting period in the last kharif season, Madhya Pradesh recorded 17,067 cases, Uttar Pradesh 7,290, and Punjab registered 5,114 incidents until November 30, 2025.
Current Season Statistics
Crop residue burning cases till April 20 this season are as follows:
- Madhya Pradesh: 18,912
- Uttar Pradesh: 7,920
- Haryana: 43
- Punjab: 30
- Delhi: 4
- Total: 26,909
These figures underscore the persistent issue of farm fires in key agricultural states, with Madhya Pradesh remaining the most affected region.
