Bathinda: Four new stubble burning cases were reported in Punjab on Tuesday, bringing the total number of farm fire events to 24 in the eight days since monitoring began on Sept 15.Amritsar has emerged as the primary hotspot, accounting for a maximum of 13 incidents. Ferozepur recorded four cases, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran reported two each, while Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, and Patiala recorded one case each.In response, authorities have initiated penal actions, imposing ₹25,000 in environmental compensation (EC) across five cases and recovering ₹10,000 so far. Red entries have been marked in the land revenue records of four farmers, and warning or show-cause notices have been issued to four nodal and supervisory officers for negligence.The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) tracked two cases on Sept 15 in Tarn Taran, three on Sept 16, one each on Sept 18 and 19, eight on Sept 20, and five on Sept 21. The state had previously recorded a decline in total farm fires, dropping to 5,114 cases in 2025 from 10,909 in 2024.The enforcement actions align with new draft rules introduced by the central govt targeting Delhi-NCR and adjoining states to curb winter air pollution.Under these proposed rules, farmlands with detected stubble fires face a 15-month red entry in land revenue records, which restricts farmers from obtaining agricultural loans or selling the property. The penalty doubles to 30 months for repeat offences or unpaid fines. The draft rules also scale environmental compensation to ₹5,000 for under two acres, ₹10,000 for two to five acres, and ₹30,000 for holdings exceeding five acres.
