Patiala, Oct. 23 -- Despite repeated warnings, strict monitoring, and penal actions, farmers across Punjab continue to burn stubble.

On Wednesday, the state witnessed the highest single-day spike of the season, with 69 new farm fire incidents, taking the total count to 484.

According to data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Tarn Taran remains the worst-affected district with 154 cases, followed by Amritsar with 126.

Among the fresh cases reported on Wednesday, Tarn Taran accounted for 18, while Ferozepur reported 14 cases.

Punjab has seen a sharp rise in stubble-burning incidents over the past few days.

In just the last 72 hours, 176 cases have been reported across the state.

Officials attribute this surge to the dry ...