A total of 2,196 stubble burning incidents have been recorded across Punjab as of 3 November 2026, with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) registering 494 FIRs in connection with the violations, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The figures come as air quality in North India continues to deteriorate with the onset of winter.

Scale of the Crisis

According to the PPCB report, 1,487 fields across the state have been inspected so far, with stubble burning confirmed at 701 locations. Authorities additionally identified 81 fields where evidence of burning was discovered. Red entries have been made in the revenue records of 527 fields, and prosecution proceedings have been initiated in 16 cases.

Environmental Compensation (EC) has been imposed in 636 cases. The total fine levied stands at ₹32.05 lakh, of which ₹20.60 lakh has already been recovered, according to officials.

District-wise Breakdown

Tarn Taran district has recorded the highest number of incidents in the state, with 545 cases. It is followed by Ferozepur with 305 cases, Amritsar with 198, Sangrur with 154, and Bathinda with 148. Additional incidents have been reported in Fazilka (52), Faridkot (66), and Gurdaspur (108).

In Patiala district, 93 incidents were recorded. Authorities inspected 39 fields and confirmed burning at 10 locations. Environmental Compensation was imposed in 7 cases, with a total fine of ₹40,000 levied, of which ₹20,000 has been recovered. FIRs have been filed in nine cases, red entries made for 10 fields, and warning notices issued to 10 farmers.

Enforcement Gaps and Official Response

Notably, no charge sheets have been filed to date, nor have any suspension orders been issued against nodal or supervisory officers found negligent — despite 609 warning notices having been served. Critics argue this points to a gap between enforcement on paper and accountability in practice.

'Government data indicates that despite actions taken against stubble-burning incidents, such fires continue to occur across the state. In this context, raising awareness among farmers, alongside vigilant monitoring and enforcement by the administration, remains crucial,' officials said.

Why This Matters

Stubble burning in Punjab and neighbouring Haryana is a primary driver of the annual air quality crisis in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with Delhi and surrounding regions routinely breaching hazardous pollution thresholds each November. This comes amid recurring calls by courts and environmental regulators for stronger deterrence. The absence of charge sheets or officer-level suspensions, despite hundreds of FIRs, underscores a persistent enforcement deficit that experts say blunts the deterrent effect of penalty frameworks.

With the stubble-burning season typically peaking in mid-November, ground-level enforcement and farmer outreach in the coming weeks will be critical to limiting further deterioration of air quality across North India.