Punjab Files 12 FIRs Against Farmers For Stubble Burning After 48 Fires In 5 Days
Punjab files first FIRs for stubble burning after Supreme Court warns farmers can’t claim immunity. Authorities also impose fines, red entries; cases expected to rise in coming weeks.
Punjab has initiated legal action against farmers for stubble burning, marking the first FIRs of the season following the Supreme Court’s clarification that farmers in Delhi’s neighbouring states cannot claim “absolute immunity” from prosecution for burning crop residue.
The Punjab Police registered 12 FIRs under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses disobedience of orders issued by a public servant. Of these, 11 were filed in Amritsar, the district currently topping the state’s stubble-burning chart. Despite the FIRs, no arrests have been made yet. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has recorded 48 crop residue fires since monitoring began on September 15, with officials planning to continue tracking incidents through November 30.
Why Stubble Burning Persists
Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is a major contributor to the surge in Delhi’s air pollution during October and November, following the paddy harvest. Farmers often resort to setting fire to crop residue to clear fields quickly due to the tight window between harvesting paddy and sowing rabi wheat.
The Supreme Court, in its recent observations, emphasised its respect for farmers while warning that environmental protection cannot be compromised. It urged central and state authorities to consider prosecuting or jailing farmers who engage in stubble burning.
Tougher Measures Against Violators
Punjab has also begun taking administrative measures against offenders. Authorities have marked 13 “red entries” in the land records of violators, preventing them from securing loans or selling and mortgaging their farmland. Environmental compensation fines totaling ₹1.10 lakh have been levied in 24 cases, with ₹30,000 already recovered.
According to PPCB data, Amritsar has recorded 32 stubble-burning incidents, followed by Patiala with seven. The first day of monitoring alone saw five cases. Last year, Punjab registered 10,909 stubble-burning incidents, with 5,797 cases filed under Section 223. Sangrur was the worst-hit district, reporting 1,725 incidents.
Officials warn that stubble-burning cases may rise in the coming weeks, as recent rains delayed the paddy harvest. Punjab has identified 663 villages across eight districts, Sangrur, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Moga, Barnala, Mansa, Tarn Taran, and Faridkot, as stubble-burning hotspots. These areas accounted for roughly two-thirds of last year’s incidents, with over 75% of the land in these villages affected.
The state plans to urge farmers in these hotspots to adopt eco-friendly straw management practices, including in-situ methods (incorporating residue into the soil) and ex-situ methods (using straw as fuel), to reduce environmental harm.
Special Force to Tackle Field Fires
To strengthen enforcement, Punjab has deployed a “parali protection force” of 8,000 personnel, comprising nodal officers, cluster coordinators, and field officers across 11,624 villages. This team physically monitors stubble-burning incidents and submits daily reports via the Action Taken Report (ATR) mobile app, developed by PPCB and the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC).
Despite the crackdown, farmer groups have strongly criticised the government’s measures. Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of BKU Dakonda, condemned the FIRs and red entries, insisting the state must first implement the Supreme Court’s directive to provide ₹100 per quintal for stubble management to small and marginal farmers.
“We strongly condemn FIRs and red entries against farmers. Financial support should come first before punitive actions,” Singh said.
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