Stubble burning in Punjab? Not this year, govt unveils aggressive new strategy to stop it cold

With the stubble burning season around the corner, the Punjab government has rolled out a stricter and tech-powered strategy to tackle the annual air pollution crisis. As reported by TOI, this year’s approach combines satellite surveillance, field-level accountability, and enforcement of penalties, all aligned with directions from the Supreme Court and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

After struggling to control farm fires last year, Punjab has enhanced its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) ahead of the upcoming October–November paddy harvest, the peak period for stubble burning.

Key upgrades include:

• Satellite monitoring in partnership with ISRO and Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC)
• Real-time fire alerts sent to field staff via SMS with GPS and Google Maps links

Village risk profiling based on past fire data:

• High-risk: More than 30 incidents
• Moderate-risk: 10–30 incidents
• Low-risk: 1–10 incidents

District-level planning meetings with DCs, SDMs, and agriculture officials are mandated to conclude by August 1.

Satellite Alerts Must Be Verified on Ground

The Environment Department has made it mandatory for officers to personally verify every "no crop burning found" case reported against a satellite alert. Under the new notification by Secretary Priyank Bharti, such dismissals now require:

• Geo-tagged photos
• GPS data within 350 metres
• Signed verification by senior officials (DCs, ADCs, SDMs, or CAQM observers)

If any alert is not verified properly, it will be treated as a stubble burning incident, and strict legal action will follow under Supreme Court/NGT/CAQM orders.

Penalties and FIRs: Here’s What Offenders Face

To deter violations, Punjab has revised the penalty structure for farmers:

• Rs 5,000 for burning on less than 2 acres
• Rs 10,000 for 2–5 acres
• Rs 30,000 for more than 5 acres

The process timeline is tight:

• Detection to field verification: Within 48 hours
• Penalty issuance: Within 7 working days
• Fine recovery: Within 15 days

Repeat offenders and those who don’t pay fines will face FIRs under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police have been directed to maintain a separate FIR log for such cases.

Departmental Duties Clearly Defined

The Punjab government has streamlined responsibilities for all departments involved:

Department	Responsibility
Revenue Department	Field verification, issuing challans, fine recovery
Agriculture Department	Farmer outreach, promotion of alternatives to burning
Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB)	Monitoring, incident reporting, legal compliance
Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC)	Satellite data analysis and fire detection alerts

A PPCB official told TOI that all enforcement staff will receive training in:

• Satellite image interpretation
• Verification protocol
• Digital data entry and compliance tracking

CAQM Calls for Zero Tolerance

During a July 3 meeting, CAQM chairperson stressed the need for “zero tolerance” towards crop residue burning. The Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) said, “This is a collective effort, strict enforcement, farmer awareness, and technology will drive change.”

All districts must finalise localised action plans by August 1. These will include high-risk village lists, task allocation, farmer sensitisation steps, and SOP compliance checks.

Inputs from TOI