The contrast with neighboring regions is clear.

When Rajesh Verma, Chairman of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), recently visited the Rajpura Thermal Plant, he wasn’t there to give warnings or impose fines. He went to recognize something extraordinary—Punjab’s farmers are leading what he calls the “stubble revolution.” Punjab’s farmers have become protectors of the environment along with being food providers, because they are now choosing alternatives to burning stubble.

The numbers tell the story of a remarkable change. In 2021, Punjab recorded 71,300 incidents of stubble burning. By 2024, this number dropped to just 10,900—a reduction of 85%. This year, the state has seen only 3,284 incidents so far, a trend suggesting that Punjab is writing a new chapter on agricultura

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