Punjab farmers booked for stubble burning, but no chargesheets yet
Punjab has filed nearly 7,000 FIRs against farmers for stubble burning between 2022 and 2024, but most cases are stuck or settled with small fines.
In big districts like Patiala and Sangrur, not a single case has led to chargesheets as of November 1, 2025.
Political sensitivities and informal land deals make legal action tricky, while mild penalties—just up to six months in jail or a ₹5,000 fine—don't do much to discourage the practice.
Red entries are being marked in land records of offenders
Stubble burning keeps pushing air pollution in northern India to dangerous levels every year.
Since legal action rarely sticks, the government is trying other tactics like marking "red entries" in land records (which blocks subsidies and loans for offenders)—1,222 of these have been made so far.
Even though satellite data shows some drop in fire numbers and about ₹67 lakh was fined (only half collected), large-scale crop burning still continues.
The gap between environmental needs and political realities means cleaner air remains a tough goal for the region.