Bathinda: The number of farm fires in Punjab has crossed the 7,000 mark, with 932 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. While Punjab trails Madhya Pradesh in the national tally, it continues to record the highest daily incidents among the five monitored states. Ferozepur has emerged as the worst-affected district with 670 cases, followed closely by Bathinda and Tarn Taran.
National Scenario
Nationally, the wheat harvesting season has recorded a total of 59,659 fire cases. Madhya Pradesh remains the largest contributor, accounting for nearly 59% of the season's total with 35,092 cases. According to long-term data from the CREAMS portal, Madhya Pradesh has consistently led the country over the past five years, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. In the previous 2025 Kharif season, Madhya Pradesh also topped the list for paddy stubble burning.
Crackdown in Punjab
Punjab authorities have intensified efforts to curb stubble burning. By Friday evening, 306 FIRs were registered under Section 223 of the BNS, with the highest number of legal actions in Sangrur (71) and Patiala (57). Additionally, 503 'red entries' have been made in land records, and environmental compensation totaling ₹42.80 lakh has been imposed across 875 cases.
Other States
On Saturday, other monitored states reported the following numbers: Haryana 103 cases, Uttar Pradesh 251, and Madhya Pradesh 379. While Punjab's total stands at 7,086 cases, Uttar Pradesh has recorded 14,324 and Haryana 3,097 so far this season. Of the ₹42.8 lakh in fines imposed in Punjab, only ₹2.55 lakh has been recovered to date.
