Bathinda: Punjab recorded a significant increase in farm fires on Wednesday, with 424 new incidents reported, a sharp rebound from just 74 cases a day earlier. This brings the state's total for the current season to 8,719 cases. Despite the rise, Punjab still lags behind Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, which have reported 36,202 and 14,932 cases respectively this season. Haryana also saw a low number of fresh cases, adding only 27, raising its tally to 3,279.
Authorities Intensify Action Against Defaulters
The surge in farm fires occurred even as authorities continue to crack down on violators. According to data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board, the state police registered 36 First Information Reports (FIRs) in a single day against those violating farm fire laws. In total, 479 FIRs have been filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant.
Worst-Affected Districts
Ferozepur remains the most affected district with 845 cases so far, followed by Bathinda (709), Tarn Taran (702), Moga (673), Amritsar (664), Sangrur (654), and Gurdaspur (580). The state has also made 720 red entries in land records and imposed environmental compensation amounting to Rs 80.6 lakh in 1,636 farm fire cases up to May 12, of which Rs 4.45 lakh has been recovered.
National Scenario
Across India, 63,195 farm fire cases have been reported this season, with Madhya Pradesh alone accounting for 57.2% of the total. According to the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling From Space (CREAMS), Madhya Pradesh has consistently contributed over half of the country's wheat-season stubble burning incidents over the past five years.
About the Author: Neel Kamal, an engineer turned journalist, covers sustainable agriculture, environment, climate change, and peace initiatives between India and Pakistan.
