50% Reduction in Stubble Burning Across Punjab and Haryana: ICAR Director Reports Significant Progress

The data emerges as Delhi confronts escalating air pollution levels.

New Delhi:

Stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana have decreased by 50 percent this season compared to the previous year, according to Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), in his statement to NDTV.

Statistics compiled by ICAR's Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS) laboratory reveal that between September 15 and November 2 last year, 4,754 stubble burning incidents were documented in Punjab and Haryana. This year, the number has fallen to 2,384.

Referencing satellite data, Jat noted that Punjab alone experienced a 42 percent reduction in crop residue burning - decreasing from 3,916 incidents between September 15 and November 2 in 2024 to 2,262 this year. Haryana has also achieved a substantial decrease, with incidents dropping from 838 to 122 during the same period.

"This progress stems from collaborative efforts by the central and state governments encouraging farmers to adopt alternative methods, coupled with strict enforcement by local authorities. Analyzing stubble burning trends since 2020 reveals an even more dramatic change. Data indicates that Punjab recorded 41,176 stubble burning incidents between September 15 and November 2, 2020, which has diminished to 2,262 this year - representing a 94.5 percent reduction over the past five years," Jat explained.

Punjab continues to lead in stubble burning incidents

Despite significant reductions in crop residue burning, Punjab still ranks highest among six states this year - Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. ICAR data shows that over 1,000 stubble burning incidents have been documented across these six states in recent days.

On October 19, the day before Diwali, authorities recorded 153 crop residue burning incidents across the six states. Subsequently, 50 incidents were documented on October 28, followed by 259 on October 31, 535 on November 1, and 230 on November 2. Punjab alone reported 224 incidents on October 31 and 442 the following day.

Between September 15 and November 2, a total of 4,610 crop residue burning incidents were recorded across the six states. Punjab accounted for 2,262 incidents, with Uttar Pradesh following at 1,018, Rajasthan at 719, Madhya Pradesh at 486, Haryana at 122, and Delhi at 3.

Satellite detection on November 1 identified 535 residue burning cases across six states - 442 in Punjab, 19 in Haryana, 27 in Uttar Pradesh, 44 in Rajasthan, and 3 in Madhya Pradesh. On November 2, satellites detected 230 incidents - 178 in Punjab, 4 in Haryana, 14 in UP, and 34 in Rajasthan.

This data emerges as Delhi experiences worsening air pollution - a situation for which the BJP has attributed blame to stubble burning in neighboring states. The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital registered at 309 at 7 am today - falling within the 'very poor' category.