Punjab, Haryana impose Rs 2.3 cr penalties on farmers for stubble burning

Punjab and Haryana have imposed fines exceeding Rs 2.1 crore and Rs 21 lakh respectively, on farmers for stubble burning in 2024, with more than 50 per cent of penalties collected

The governments of Punjab and Haryana have imposed penalties amounting to over Rs 2.1 crore and Rs 21 lakh respectively, on farmers for stubble burning this year. More than 50 per cent of the fines have been collected from violators.

Data on stubble burning shared in Rajya Sabha

In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Environment said that as of November 30, Punjab had recorded 10,909 stubble-burning incidents, while Haryana reported 1,406 instances. Environmental compensation penalties were imposed after inspecting 5,525 fields in Punjab and 638 fields in Haryana, as reported by The Times of India.

 

Last month, the central government doubled penalties for stubble burning. Farmers with less than two acres of land face a fine of Rs 5,000 per incident. Those owning between two and five acres are charged Rs 10,000, while farmers with more than five acres are fined Rs 30,000 per incident.

Decline in farm fires: A sign of better management?

While penalties were higher in previous years, the number of stubble-burning cases decreased in 2024. This decline may be attributed to improved in-situ (on site) and ex-situ (off-site) management practices for handling paddy straw.

Data on penalties and farm fires

Past data show that Punjab collected Rs 3.1 crore (2020), Rs 2.8 crore (2021), and Rs 1.7 crore (2022) as penalties, corresponding to 12,106, 10,244, and 6,695 cases respectively. Farm fire incidents in the state dropped significantly from 83,002 in 2020 to 49,922 in 2022, as mentioned by the report.  Penalties collected in 2023 in Punjab amount to Rs 1.9 crore, against 7,061 cases of firm fire.

 

Haryana also reported higher collections and cases in previous years. For instance, in 2020, the state imposed penalties of Rs 86 lakh for 464 cases, with 4,202 stubble burning incidents recorded that year. Figures of penalties after 2020 could not be substantiated.

 

Research suggests that during peak stubble-burning seasons, farm fires can account for up to 30 per cent of the particulate matter (PM) levels in the Delhi-NCR region and nearby areas. Data shared in Parliament on Thursday revealed that Bihar’s Begusarai and Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh experienced more days with an Air Quality Index exceeding 400 last year than the national capital.

 

[With agency inputs]