Punjab Farm Fires Cross 5,517, Pass Last Year's Totalਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਰਾਲੀ ਸਾੜਨ ਦੇ ਮਾਮਲੇ 5,517, ਪਿਛਲੇ ਸਾਲ ਦਾ ਅੰਕੜਾ ਪਾਰ

Punjab has recorded 5,517 farm fires so far this paddy season, passing the 5,114 incidents logged in the whole of 2025, according to the latest data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The figures, current to Wednesday, November 11, come with the harvest almost finished: 96.65 per cent of Punjab's 32.87 lakh hectares of paddy area has already been harvested. With the season nearly over, the count is now certain to finish above last year's total.

The milestone lands only two days after the count crossed 5,000 on November 10. The sharpest single-day spike of the season came on Diwali, November 8, when 1,152 fires were reported in a single day. Enforcement has kept pace on paper, with more than a thousand FIRs registered and crores in fines imposed, but only a fraction of the fines has actually been recovered.

Which districts recorded the most fires?

Ferozepur leads the state with 728 cases, followed by Tarn Taran with 687, Sangrur with 628, Bathinda with 499 and Patiala with 374. The order at the top has shifted during the season: Tarn Taran led the count for much of October and early November, but Ferozepur has now moved ahead as the harvest has wound down in the border belt.

Patiala, fifth on the list of incidents, has issued the most warnings in the state, with 390 warnings and show-cause notices served on farmers. The gap between the number of fires and the number of penalties underlines a pattern seen all season: the fires are counted reliably, but the follow-up action varies widely from district to district.

What action has been taken?

Authorities have inspected 4,620 fields where fires were reported, and physical verification has confirmed burning at 2,003 locations. A total of 1,259 FIRs have been registered, and 1,637 red entries have been made in the revenue records of farmers. Fines totalling Rs 85.90 lakh have been imposed as environmental compensation, of which only Rs 37.55 lakh has been recovered so far.

The enforcement figures also show the limits of the crackdown. Prosecution has begun against 18 supervisory officials for negligence, yet no charge sheets have been filed and no suspensions recorded. More than a thousand show-cause notices have gone to monitoring officials, a sign that the administration itself is under pressure over fires that were reported but not stopped.

How does this season compare?

The season began on September 15, and the count climbed steadily through October before the Diwali surge. By November 10 last year, Punjab had logged 4,195 fires, so this season is running about a fifth higher at the same stage. The longer trend still points down from the peaks of recent years: Punjab recorded 10,909 fires in 2024 and 36,663 in 2023. But the year-on-year rise in 2026, after two years of sharp falls, will disappoint officials who had hoped the decline would continue.

The fires matter beyond Punjab. Smoke from the burning drifts across north India each winter and adds to the severe air pollution in Delhi and the wider region. With the harvest nearly complete, the remaining fires should taper off in the coming days, but the final tally will stand as the first increase in the seasonal count since 2023.

How many farm fires has Punjab recorded this season?

A total of 5,517 incidents as of November 11, according to the Punjab Pollution Control Board, passing the 5,114 recorded in all of 2025.

Which district has the most cases?

Ferozepur leads with 728 cases, followed by Tarn Taran with 687 and Sangrur with 628.

What penalties have farmers faced?

Fines of Rs 85.90 lakh have been imposed as environmental compensation, of which Rs 37.55 lakh has been recovered, alongside 1,259 FIRs and 1,637 red entries in land records.