Punjab Farm Fires Reach 2,347, but 11 Districts Record a Riseਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਰਾਲੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਅੱਗਾਂ 2,347 ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚੀਆਂ, 11 ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਧਾ

Punjab has recorded 2,347 incidents of stubble burning up to 4 November, according to data released by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and reported by IANS on Thursday. Tarn Taran district accounts for the largest share with 558 cases. The PPCB report says environmental fines of Rs 40.37 lakh have been imposed in these cases, of which Rs 23.05 lakh has been recovered. Monitoring teams inspected 1,942 fields and confirmed fires at 868 locations, with the paddy harvest now complete on 85.10 per cent of the state's 32.87 lakh hectares.

Down on last year, but up in 11 districts

The season total is 492 cases lower than the 2,839 incidents recorded by the same point in 2025, a fall of about 17 per cent, Mirror Now reported. The improvement is not shared evenly, though. Eleven districts have recorded more fires than last year, and Gurdaspur has seen the sharpest rise, more than doubling from 58 to 118 cases. Tarn Taran's count also climbed, from 506 last year to 558. The other districts where fires increased are Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Rupnagar.

Which districts have the most farm fires?

Tarn Taran leads the state with 558 incidents, followed by Ferozepur with 316, Amritsar with 207, Bathinda with 167 and Sangrur with 163, the PPCB data shows. Patiala has recorded 110 incidents, where officials inspected 67 locations, confirmed fires at 24, imposed Rs 80,000 in fines and registered 21 FIRs.

647 FIRs and 723 red entries in land records

Enforcement has run alongside the count. Authorities have registered 647 FIRs, made red entries in revenue records in 723 cases and issued 689 warning notices, officials said. Environmental compensation has been imposed in 801 cases. The latest cumulative total is 151 incidents higher than the 2,196 reported up to 3 November, the day Punjab saw its highest single-day count of the season, 584 fires, and it comes as the harvest moves into its final stretch.

Air quality panel orders stricter enforcement

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed the Punjab government to step up monitoring and enforcement, Mirror Now reported. At a recent video conference, CAQM chairperson Rajesh Verma said nodal officers would be held directly accountable for lapses in preventing fires, and the commission warned of strict action against officials who fail to maintain oversight in the 12 districts under scrutiny, including Bathinda, Patiala and Ludhiana. A high-level technical team from the CAQM has also been sent to Bathinda to assess enforcement on the ground. Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has accused the Punjab government of misleading people on stubble burning, Hindustan Times reported.

Why the coming days still matter

With 85.10 per cent of the paddy area harvested, most of the season's burning may be behind the state, but pressure on farmers rises as the window for sowing wheat narrows. Mirror Now noted that 15 November is the deadline for optimal wheat sowing, which pushes growers to clear fields quickly. Air quality indices in several cities have crossed 200, in the poor category, as smoke from the remaining fires adds to the region's winter pollution load.

How many farm fires has Punjab recorded this season?

Punjab has recorded 2,347 stubble-burning incidents up to 4 November 2026, according to the PPCB. That is 492 fewer than the 2,839 recorded by the same point in 2025.

Which Punjab district has the most farm fires?

Tarn Taran, with 558 incidents, followed by Ferozepur with 316 and Amritsar with 207.

What has the CAQM told Punjab to do?

The CAQM has directed the state to ramp up monitoring and enforcement, said nodal officers will be held accountable for lapses, and sent a technical team to Bathinda to assess enforcement on the ground.