Punjab records 1,152 farm fires on Diwali, highest single-day spike this season
The surge in stubble burning in Punjab coincided with a severe drop in air quality in Delhi and other major cities.
Punjab recorded 1,152 farm fires on November 8, marking the sharpest single-day spike in paddy stubble burning this season, according to reports by News18, Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express.
The spike on Diwali day lifted the state's cumulative seasonal incidents from 3,307 to 4,459. This total has already surpassed the 3,316 fires recorded by the same date in 2025.
Sangrur recorded the highest number of new fires on Sunday with 194 incidents, while Rupnagar recorded the lowest with one. Tarn Taran maintains the highest overall seasonal tally with 654 cases.
The rush to clear fields before the Punjab Agricultural University’s recommended wheat-sowing deadline of November 15 is a primary driver. Approximately 91.4 per cent of the state's paddy area has already been harvested.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reported that authorities imposed environmental compensation of Rs 62.55 lakh in 1,228 cases, recovering Rs 32.60 lakh so far. Enforcement included 884 FIRs under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and 1,017 red entries in land records.
The surge coincided with a deterioration in Delhi's air quality, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 483 at 8.10am on Monday. In Punjab, Mandi Gobindgarh recorded an AQI of 399, while Ludhiana recorded 313.