2025 Punjab-Haryana Floods Cut Stubble Burning by 77%, Delhi PM2.5 Drops 15.5%

October 15, 2025

Chandigarh: The 2025 floods in Punjab and Haryana acted as an “unplanned intervention”, reducing rice crop residue fires by up to 77 per cent, according to a recent analysis, leading to a 15.5 per cent drop in Delhi’s average PM2.5 levels compared to the same period in 2024.

Floods Disrupt Agricultural Residue Burning

The analysis, based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and NASA, showed that widespread flooding delayed harvests, waterlogged fields, and reduced dry residue availability, making it physically impossible for many farmers to conduct stubble burning.

“The 77.5 per cent reduction in stubble burning this month is directly attributable to the massive floods in Punjab and Haryana,” a researcher told IANS, requesting anonymity.

Impact on Delhi Air Quality

Despite the reduction in farm fires, Delhi’s PM2.5 levels remained above 50 µg/m³, reflecting a significant background load from traffic, industry, and dust re-suspension.

The researcher noted:

“Reducing farm fires alone yields immediate benefits, but sustained air quality gains require multi-sectoral emission control beyond agriculture.”

Daily correlations between stubble burning and PM2.5 weakened in 2025 as non-agricultural sources dominated residual pollution levels.

Statistics on Stubble Burning

• Punjab: Stubble burning cases fell from 392 (Oct 1–12, 2024) to 105 (Oct 1–12, 2025) – a 73.2% reduction.

• Haryana: Cases dropped from 387 to 70 – an 81.9% fall.

• Delhi PM2.5: Average fell from 60.79 µg/m³ in 2024 to 51.48 µg/m³ in 2025, a 15.5% reduction.

Punjab’s Amritsar district reported 68 cases, followed by Tarn Taran with 47 incidents. Haryana recorded a 97% decline in stubble burning between Sept 15–Oct 13, attributed to strict enforcement against offenders.

Broader Pollution Context

Experts highlighted that besides crop residue burning, Delhi’s winter pollution also arises from vehicle exhaust, factory emissions, and dust, which accumulate due to slower winds after the monsoon and cold Himalayan winds.

Agricultural specialists noted that farmers often burn leftover paddy straw to quickly clear fields for the next crop, instead of using traditional hand-clearing methods or sustainable millet cultivation options.

Natural Experiment Highlights Policy Implications

The floods provided a unique lens to understand the link between stubble burning in upwind states and air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Fewer fires led to cleaner air, even without major policy or enforcement changes,” the researcher said, emphasizing the importance of structural, multi-sectoral interventions to achieve long-term air quality improvement.