Chandigarh: The 2025 paddy harvesting season has concluded with Punjab and Haryana recording one of the sharpest declines in stubble-burning incidents since the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) began tracking crop residue practices. With the annual monitoring window from 15 September to 30 November now closed, the region has reported its lowest farm fire counts in five years.

According to official data, Punjab logged 5,114 farm fire incidents during the season. This marks a 53 per cent reduction from 2024, 86 per cent from 2023, 90 per cent from 2022, and 93 per cent from 2021. Haryana reported 662 incidents, registering a corresponding fall of 53 per cent, 71 per cent, 81 per cent, and 91 per cent across the same years. Officials noted that these are the most significant year-on-year reductions recorded under CAQM’s crop residue management framework.

Authorities attributed the decline to state and district-level action plans that pushed large-scale deployment of crop residue management machinery and strengthened enforcement to prevent open burning. Expanded ex-situ utilisation also contributed, including biomass-based energy generation, industrial boiler use, bio-ethanol production, and co-firing of paddy straw pellets or briquettes in thermal power plants and brick kilns. Use of straw in packaging and other commercial sectors also grew during the season.

The Commission maintained round-the-clock coordination with state agriculture departments and district administrations to ensure rapid response to any spike in incidents. Flying squads, the Parali Protection Force, field officers and district teams carried out inspections and enforcement across hotspot blocks. A dedicated CAQM Cell in Chandigarh, tasked with year-round monitoring of paddy stubble management, supported this effort. Public awareness campaigns and targeted outreach to farmers were also carried out through the season.

Officials noted that meteorological conditions inevitably influence Delhi-NCR’s air quality, but the significant decline in stubble-burning incidents this year helped limit potential deterioration linked to farm fires.

With Punjab, Haryana and NCR states continuing to strengthen implementation of their plans and aiming for complete elimination of paddy straw burning, the region is expected to see sustained improvement in air quality in the years ahead.

BI Bureau