New Delhi, 1 December: Punjab and Haryana reported nearly 90 per cent fewer farm fire incidents during the 2025 paddy harvesting season compared to 2022, the Centre informed Parliament on Monday.
Responding to a question from Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told the Lok Sabha that while stubble burning has sharply reduced, it remains an “episodic event” that worsens pollution during winter. He added that Delhi recorded its lowest January–November average air quality index since 2018, excluding the Covid lockdown year.
Channi sought details on why Delhi’s AQI crossed 450 despite Punjab reporting a reduction in farm fires, and asked about enforcement of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directives and support for alternative machinery.
Yadav said Delhi-NCR’s air quality is influenced by a mix of local and regional factors, including vehicles, industries, dust from construction, burning of municipal waste, landfill fires and weather conditions. “Stubble burning in Punjab and the NCR region is an additional episodic event,” he said.
According to the written reply, Delhi recorded 200 “good” air quality days in 2025 so far, up from 110 in 2016. The number of “very poor” and “severe” days dipped from 71 in 2024 to 50 this year.
To curb stubble burning, Punjab and Haryana have received more than ₹3,120 crore since 2018-19 for crop residue management machinery. Over 2.6 lakh machines have been given to individual farmers and more than 33,800 to custom hiring centres, with CAQM directing both states to provide them rent-free to small and marginal farmers.
Yadav said the commission has mandated use of paddy-straw biomass in brick kilns outside NCR, with co-firing targets rising from 20 per cent this year to 50 per cent by 2028. Thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi have been asked to co-fire biomass pellets up to 10 per cent with coal.
Thirty-one Central Pollution Control Board flying squads monitored hotspots in Punjab and Haryana from October 1 to November 30. Senior-level meetings were held through October and November with Union ministers, state governments and district officials to strengthen enforcement, the reply stated.
The minister said the government is now assessing the utilisation of these machines, reviewing district performance and ensuring biomass supply chains for thermal plants and pellet units.
