Stubble fires down 31% in six states as Delhi braces for winter | Today’s news
New Delhi: Farm fires, a seasonal source of air pollution in the capital, fell by 31.3% year-on-year in six northern Indian states in the first weeks of this year’s stubble burning season, according to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) satellite data.
The data showed a decline in farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, while Madhya Pradesh saw an increase between September 15 and October 27 this year.
The decline comes at a critical point in the agricultural calendar as stubble burning in neighboring states seasonally contributes to worsening air quality in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), especially in winter.
Read also | Yellow Revolution 2.0: India’s ₹11,000 crore bet on domestic palm oil
An analysis of satellite remote sensing data recorded 2,265 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, compared to 3,300 during the same period last year. An analysis by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space, under the Agricultural Physics Division of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, said Punjab reported the highest number of incidents at 717, followed by Rajasthan with 533 and Madhya Pradesh with 510 and 22 incidents.
This development assumes significance as farm fires contribute about 2.25% to Delhi’s pollution annually, rising to 12-40% during the winter stubble burning season, which begins on September 15, depending on weather conditions and the number of fires.
In the midst of irregular rains
“The decline in farm fires could be interpreted in the light of erratic rainfall patterns this year. Lack of June rainfall and delayed paddy transplanting, followed by early October rainfall, may have shifted the calendar of paddy harvesting and crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana, delaying the seasonal increase in the number of satellite-detected fires,” he told Climate and Delhi, organization Palak Balyan, Head of Climate Change Research, Head of Environmental Research, Delhi. governance and sustainable development. “Meanwhile, pollution in Delhi is caused by multiple sources, including vehicular emissions and traffic congestion, along with road dust, industrial emissions and other local sources.”
Read also | The Center is considering a ₹1,150 crore scheme to curb industrial pollution in NCR
Authorities say intensive real-time monitoring by state governments through satellite monitoring and ground patrols has helped reduce stubble burning incidents. “Widespread awareness and initiatives related to crop residue management in both Punjab and Haryana may have led to a reduction in crop residue burning,” said an official from the Union Environment Ministry.
Queries emailed to the ICAR spokesperson and the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand remained unanswered till press time.
Coordinated program
Delhi and its neighboring NCR states have developed a coordinated seven-month program to reduce air pollution with greater emphasis on public outreach, behavioral change and prevention of pre-winter crop residue burning. The action plans for the period from September 2026 to March 2027 focus on industrial emissions, diesel generators, road dust, construction and demolition waste, municipal solid waste, agricultural residues and vehicle emissions.
The program comes at a time when Delhi-NCR faces poor air quality throughout the year, with conditions worsening from November to February. According to Central Pollution Control Board data, Delhi recorded its worst city-wide air quality in 2025 in November, when its daily average AQI was 354, putting the capital in the “very poor” category.
Read also | India’s edible oil imports will rise as demand rises and oilseed yields face risks
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air remained in moderate to poor categories this month. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 185 at 12:30 pm on Thursday. AQI is a numerical scale used to communicate air quality and its potential health impacts. Air quality standards are divided into six categories – good (0–50), satisfactory (51–100), moderate (101–200), poor (201–300), very poor (301–400) and severe (401–500).
However, officials said that most of the farm fires occur between the last week of October and the second week of November, hence the authorities need to be vigilant. Reduction in farm fires along with wind speed has improved air quality in Delhi NCR.
