CHANDIGARH: As the harvesting season peaks, stubble burning has once again emerged as a major challenge in northern India. Official data reveals that 404 incidents of crop residue burning have been recorded across Punjab so far, prompting swift administrative action, heavy fines, and strict legal measures.
Hotspots Emerge: Amritsar and Tarn Taran Lead
According to the latest status report from the Punjab Pollution Control Board, the bulk of the cases are concentrated in a few districts. Tarn Taran reported the highest number with 198 incidents, out of which 75 were confirmed after physical inspection, while Amritsar followed closely behind with 117 cases, logging 42 confirmed violations.
Other districts are also recording smaller numbers, including Gurdaspur with 23 cases, Kapurthala with 16, Ferozepur with 14, Jalandhar with 5, and Patiala with 4. Out of the 404 total reported alerts, authorities have successfully inspected 358 fields, confirming actual stubble burning at 151 locations.
Crackdown Underway: Fines, FIRs, and Red Entries
The state administration has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to tackle the seasonal air pollution crisis. Authorities have initiated strict punitive measures, registering FIRs in 39 cases and making ‘red entries’ in revenue records for 106 cases to impact land documentation. Additionally, environmental compensation totaling Rs 7.20 lakh has been slapped across the state, with Rs 3.40 lakh already recovered, alongside 152 formal warning notices issued to deter further burning.
Stepping Up Pressure: NCR Tightens Industrial Monitoring Rules
While Punjab grapples with farm fires, authorities are simultaneously tightening the screws on industrial pollution closer to the capital.
The Commission for Air Quality Management has significantly strengthened its remote-monitoring framework for air-polluting industries across the National Capital Region. Under a newly revised order, the mandate for installing and operationalizing advanced Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras has been extended to cover all major categories of polluting industries.
What the New CAQM Order Demands
The directive applies broadly to 17 categories of highly polluting industries identified by the CPCB, Red Category medium and large air-polluting units, food processing and textile plants utilizing boilers or thermic fluid heaters, and metal industries operating furnaces in the NCR. These units must set up cameras with uninterrupted, real-time video transmission capabilities to monitor fuel usage and emissions. All affected industrial units have been given a firm deadline of November 30 to ensure full compliance and operationalization.