Patiala, Sept. 21 -- After the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that farmers in Delhi's neighbouring states cannot claim "absolute immunity" from prosecution for burning crop residue, Punjab Police have registered 12 FIRs against farmers for stubble burning - the first such legal action this season. According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data, the state has reported 48 cases of crop residue burning since monitoring began on September 15. Of the 12 FIRs registered, 11 were filed in Amritsar, which currently leads the state in reported stubble burning incidents. The FIRs have been lodged under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to disobedience of orders duly promulgated by a public servant. However, no arrests have been made so far. While the state started tracking stubble burning cases from mid-September, the first FIRs were registered only after September 18. The process of recording farm fire incidents will continue through November 30, said officials. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is widely blamed for the surge in air pollution in Delhi during October and November following the paddy harvest. The short interval between harvesting paddy and sowing the rabi wheat crop often prompts farmers to set fire to crop residue to clear fields quickly. The recent action follows the Supreme Court's observations on Wednesday, which acknowledged its respect for farmers but underscored that they could not be allowed to pollute the environment. The top court told the Centre and state authorities to consider prosecuting or jailing farmers who burn stubble and engage in related offences. In addition to FIRs, the Punjab government has marked 13 red entries in the land records of violators. Such red entries prevent farmers from securing loans against their land or selling or mortgaging their farmland. The government has also levied environmental compensation fines totaling Rs.1.10 lakh in 24 cases, with Rs.30,000 already recovered. As per PPCB data, Amritsar has witnessed 32 incidents so far, followed by Patiala with seven cases. The state reported five cases on the first day of monitoring. Last year, Punjab registered over 5,797 cases under Section 223 of BNS, with a total of 10,909 stubble burning incidents. Sangrur was the worst-hit district, reporting 1,725 cases. PPCB officials have warned that stubble burning cases are likely to increase in the coming weeks, as recent rains delayed the early paddy harvest. On September 17, during a suo motu hearing on vacancies in pollution control boards across Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab, the Supreme Court asked the Punjab government why errant farmers should not be arrested to send a stern message. Punjab has identified 663 villages across eight districts - Sangrur, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Moga, Barnala, Mansa, Tarn Taran, and Faridkot - as stubble burning hotspots based on data collected over the last three years. These districts accounted for 6,815 farm fires in 2024, roughly two-thirds of the 10,909 cases reported statewide last year during the same period. The 663 villages were designated hotspots where over 75% of the habitation area witnessed stubble burning, according to the state's action plan submitted to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Farmers in these hotspot villages will be urged not to burn crop residue and will be sensitised about its harmful environmental effects. Officials will encourage the adoption of paddy straw management through both in-situ methods (incorporating residue into fields) and ex-situ methods (using stubble as fuel). To combat stubble burning, the Punjab government has formed a "parali protection force" of around 8,000 personnel, including approximately 5,000 nodal officers, 1,500 cluster coordinators, and 1,200 field officers deployed across 11,624 villages. This team physically verifies stubble burning incidents and submits daily reports through the Action Taken Report (ATR) mobile app, developed by the PPCB and Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC). However, farmer leaders have flayed the government's stringent actions. Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of BKU Dakonda, condemned the FIRs and red entries, demanding the government first implement the Supreme Court's order to provide Rs.100 per quintal for handling stubble to small and marginal farmers before penalising them. "We strongly condemn FIRs and red entries against the farmers. The Punjab government should first ensure financial support to farmers before registering cases or marking their land records," Jagmohan said....