CHANDIGARH: As the national capital Delhi choked on hazardous air the morning after Diwali, Punjab recorded 1,152 farm fires on Diwali, its sharpest single-day spike this season lifting the total incidents from 3,307 to 4,459, 35 per cent increase.
The spike coincided with a severe drop in air quality across the state, exacerbating the pollution caused by Diwali firecrackers and seasonal winter inversion trapping pollutants near ground level.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data for today, placed Mandi Gobindgarh in the very poor category with an AQI of 399 and other major cities recorded elevated pollution levels as well with Ludhiana (313), Jalandhar (298), Amritsar (234), and Patiala (210).
Tarn Taran maintains the highest overall seasonal tally at 654 fires, followed by Ferozepur (592), Sangrur (488), Bathinda (406), Patiala (288), and Amritsar (247). On Sunday, Sangrur, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district, led with 194 new fires. Ferozepur added 157, Bathinda 132, Patiala 92, Barnala 91 and Ludhiana 71, taking its total to 193.
This season’s total has already passed the 3,316 fires recorded by the same date in 2025. Punjab logged 5,114 over the whole of last season.
Harvesting was complete on 91.4 per cent of the state’s 32.87 lakh hectares under paddy, and farmers face a shrinking window to clear fields before Punjab Agricultural University’s recommended wheat-sowing deadline of November 15.
The total number of reported incidents shot up to 4,459, as data from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) protocol, Punjab has recorded 4,459 farm-fire incidents this season.
The rush to clear fields before the Punjab Agricultural University’s recommended wheat sowing deadline of November 15 remains the primary driver.
The spike came as farmers faced a shrinking window to clear their fields for wheat sowing. The statewide tally includes incidents flagged for inspection. Teams had visited 2,998 sites.
Their report put the number of locations where inspectors found evidence of burning at 1,310. That figure covers confirmed sites among those inspected.
Authorities physically inspected 2998 sites and imposed Rs 62.55 lakh as environmental compensation in 1,228 cases, recovering Rs 32.60 lakh so far.
Police registered 884 FIRs under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and 1,017 red entries were marked in land revenue records.
The annual farm fire monitoring period began on September 15, two weeks before paddy procurement starts on October 1.
Enforcement also extended to officials responsible for monitoring farm fires.
As many as 1,103 show-cause notices have been issued to enforcement officers and 18 prosecutions initiated, though no suspensions or formal charge sheets have been processed.
