Punjab has logged 2,787 stubble-burning incidents this season, with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) imposing environmental compensation of ₹46.10 lakh and registering 710 FIRs, according to an enforcement report covering action up to 5 November 2026. The figures underline the scale of the annual agricultural residue crisis that chokes air quality across north India each winter.

Key Enforcement Numbers

Field inspections were conducted at 2,194 of the reported locations, with stubble burning confirmed at 994 sites. Environmental compensation was levied in 914 cases, totalling ₹46.10 lakh — of which ₹24.85 lakh has been recovered so far. Beyond monetary penalties, authorities made red entries in revenue records in 829 cases and issued 786 warning or show-cause notices across the state.

FIRs Under New Criminal Code

All 710 FIRs have been registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), signalling that authorities are deploying the new criminal framework — which replaced the Indian Penal Code — to tighten accountability. Additionally, prosecution proceedings have been initiated against concerned officials in 18 cases, suggesting enforcement action is extending beyond farmers to administrative personnel.

District-Wise Breakdown

Tarn Taran recorded the highest number of incidents statewide at 586, with burning confirmed at 294 locations after inspections at 553 sites. Ferozepur followed with 361 incidents and confirmed burning at 163 locations. Sangrur reported 240 incidents (confirmed at 49 locations), Amritsar logged 221, and Bathinda recorded 216 cases.

In Patiala district, 156 incidents were reported; field inspections covered 103 locations and confirmed burning at 59. Fines totalling ₹2.15 lakh were imposed in 42 Patiala cases, with ₹70,000 recovered. The district saw 27 FIRs, 16 red entries in revenue records, and 25 warning notices issued.

Harvesting Progress and Context

The PPCB report noted that total paddy cultivation in Punjab covers 32.87 lakh hectares. By 5 November, harvesting had been completed on 87.60% of the cultivated area, meaning the remaining crop residue could sustain or increase the incident count in coming days. Stubble burning — driven by the tight window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing — remains a deeply entrenched practice despite years of government subsidies for alternative machinery and an increasingly stringent penalty regime.

Enforcement Gaps Persist

Notably, the gap between reported incidents (2,787) and confirmed burning locations (994) reflects both the challenges of on-ground verification and the possibility of under-reporting. The recovery shortfall — only ₹24.85 lakh of ₹46.10 lakh imposed — also points to enforcement bottlenecks. Critics argue that until alternative crop management becomes economically viable at scale, penal action alone will not decisively curb the practice. How Punjab handles the final stretch of the harvest season will determine whether this year's total incident count improves on or worsens prior years.