CAQM calls for urgent and coordinated actions in Punjab to curb incidents of stubble burning

Chandigarh: Taking a tough stance against the persistent issue of stubble burning, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas, under the chairpersonship of Rajesh Verma, carried out extensive field visits across Punjab to assess the ground situation on crop residue management and enforcement measures aimed at curbing farm fires.

During the visit, the Commission inspected several key sites, including the Thermal Power Plant at Rajpura (Patiala district), a Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant at Lehragaga (Sangrur district), in-situ straw management projects, and the Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Power Plant in Bathinda.

Expressing concern over violations of environmental norms, CAQM Chairperson Rajesh Verma observed that the Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Power Plant was in “poor operational condition” and non-compliant with prescribed emission norms and air quality standards.

“If immediate corrective measures are not undertaken, the Commission may be compelled to issue closure directions to the plant,” Verma cautioned during the inspection. The Commission also witnessed stray incidents of stubble burning in the surrounding areas during its field visit.

Punjab’s Marginal Progress but Persistent Challenges:- Following the inspection, the CAQM held a high-level review meeting with the Punjab Government on November 7 in Chandigarh to evaluate the on-ground implementation of crop residue management measures.

As per official data, between September 15 and November 6, 2025, Punjab recorded 3,284 incidents of stubble burning, compared to 5,041 cases during the same period last year, indicating a marginal improvement. However, the Commission flagged that Muktsar and Fazilka districts had witnessed an increase in fire counts, calling for “immediate intervention” by state authorities.

The Commission also noted that four thermal power plants in Punjab — Lehra and Ropar (PSPCL), TSPL (Mansa), and NPL (L&T) — had co-fired only 3.12 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of crop residue pellets against a target of 11.83 lakh MT for 2025–26.

“A lot more needs to be done in Punjab to achieve complete elimination of stubble burning. The state must scale up efforts, ensure timely availability of crop residue management machinery, and support CBG plants and industries utilizing paddy straw,” the CAQM Chairperson emphasized.

The Commission further directed Punjab to intensify enforcement, enhance accountability mechanisms, and take action against nodal officers and other officials under whose jurisdiction higher numbers of farm fires were recorded.

Haryana Shows Steep Decline in Farm Fires:- The CAQM also conducted a review meeting with the Haryana Government on the same day to assess pollution control measures. The data presented revealed that Haryana recorded only 206 farm fire incidents between September 15 and November 6, 2025, compared to 888 during the same period in 2024, marking a significant decline. The Commission attributed this improvement to “a proactive, incentive-based, and enforcement-driven approach” by the state government.

“Financial incentives extended to farmers for in-situ and ex-situ management of crop residue have brought about a major behavioural shift,” the CAQM noted, stressing that “with concerted efforts, farm fire incidents can be eliminated completely.”

Broader Air Pollution Control Efforts:- In addition to stubble burning, the Commission also reviewed other major pollution sources in Haryana, including vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, dust from construction and demolition activities, road dust, and municipal solid waste management.

The CAQM directed the state to strengthen enforcement, improve coordination, and implement action plans on priority to ensure sustainable crop residue management and cleaner air across the NCR region.

“Enhanced coordination and strict compliance with statutory directions are essential for achieving lasting air quality improvements,” the Commission reiterated. The twin reviews underscore CAQM’s resolve to hold states accountable and accelerate efforts toward clean air and sustainable agricultural practices in North India.