No smoke, no fire for 3 days: Crackdown leads to dramatic fall in Punjab stubble burning

In a major reprieve, no farm fire has been reported across the state for the third consecutive day, until Thursday.

It was expected that farm fires might increase on account of Dussehra, as peak fire incidents have been witnessed during the festivals of Dussehra and Diwali.

The total count of farm fires stands at 95.

The decline has followed a massive crackdown by authorities. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has imposed environmental compensation worth Rs 2.45 lakh in 95 cases, recovering Rs 1.90 lakh. Police have also registered 53 FIRs, including 23 in Amritsar, under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for disobedience of lawful orders.

The Revenue Department has marked 35 “red entries” in land records of violators, including 24 in Amritsar. A red entry bars f