Punjab has now seen 5,002 farm fires this season, still short of last year's total (5,114 in 2025).
These crop-burning incidents are a big reason why the air quality drops every winter, as farmers clear fields for the next harvest.
Punjab authorities file over 1,100 FIRs
Authorities have filed over 1,100 FIRs and marked "red entries" in land records, making it harder for those farmers to get loans.
Fines worth nearly ₹80 lakh have been issued, but less than half collected so far.
State Minister Aman Arora says there's been a massive drop in cases since 2020 thanks to new government programs offering alternatives to burning, but enforcing these rules is tough with ongoing pressure from farmer groups and central agencies.