Punjab farm fires surge to season high on Deepavali despite crackdown

Punjab's air quality crisis deepened during Deepavali as farmers across the state set fire to crop stubble at an unprecedented rate, with authorities documenting 1,152 incidents on the festival day alone. The figure represents a dramatic escalation from previous days and reflects the seasonal pattern of agricultural burning in the lead-up to winter sowing.

The spike in farm fires comes despite sustained government efforts to discourage the practice. Punjab has implemented monetary penalties, deployed field enforcement teams, and issued repeated advisories urging farmers to adopt alternative methods for managing crop residue. Officials have also promoted machinery subsidy schemes to enable mechanical stubble management, yet adoption remains limited across rural areas.

Crop residue burning, primarily from rice cultivation, traditionally peaks in October and November across Punjab and neighbouring Haryana. The practice, while economically convenient for farmers facing tight planting schedules, significantly degrades air quality across northern India. Smoke from these fires contributes substantially to the pollution envelope that blankets Delhi-NCR and surrounding regions during winter months.

Agricultural experts have attributed the persistence of stubble burning to inadequate awareness among farmers about alternative techniques, limited availability of mechanical solutions in remote areas, and the time-sensitive nature of agricultural cycles. Environmental groups have called for more targeted incentive schemes and enhanced monitoring mechanisms to curb the practice during the critical burning season.