Overview
- Punjab recorded 3,284 stubble-burning incidents through November 6, down from 5,041 in the same period in 2024 and 19,463 in 2023, officials told the CAQM team.
- CAQM data for September 15 to November 3 show 2,518 farm fires this year, nearly 40% fewer than the 4,132 logged in the corresponding period last year.
- A CAQM delegation inspected Rajpura and other facilities to assess biomass–coal blending and field management, and warned Bathinda’s Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant over non-compliance that could trigger closure orders without immediate fixes.
- State presentations highlighted expanded use of crop-residue machinery and clear on-ground checks in Malwa districts, with CAQM praising progress yet urging vigilance until harvesting concludes.
- Enforcement continued with ₹71.8 lakh in environmental compensation, 1,328 red entries and 1,092 criminal cases, as a BKU (Ekta-Malwai) group reported being blocked from meeting the CAQM chief and Rajesh Verma rejected an NGT member’s past claim denying a link to NCR pollution.