Patiala, Oct. 27 -- Punjab on Sunday reported 122 new cases of stubble burning, marking the highest single-day spike this year and taking the total count this season to 743. This is the first day this year that the state has recorded farm fire incidents in three digits in a single day. According to data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), which monitors stubble burning from September 15 to November 30, of the total 122 cases recorded on Sunday, nearly 70 were reported from the south Malwa region. Punjab, which was experiencing its lowest burning season on record, has seen a sharp escalation in the number of fires over the past week. In the last week alone, the state added 502 fresh cases. To be sure, the paddy harvesting season, which began in early October, was delayed due to untimely rainfall in the first week of the month. However, the return of dry weather in the past two weeks has added fuel to harvesting operations. As a result, the major spike that Punjab witnesses mid-October, has been pushed forward by almost two weeks this year. Agriculture scientists have cautioned that farmers are more likely to resort to burning crop residue to prepare fields quickly as the time window of wheat sowing is shrinking. According to the Punjab Agricultural University, wheat sowing must ideally be completed by November 15 to ensure optimal yield. "As of now, only 58 percent of the total 31.7 lakh hectares under paddy has been harvested," said an official from the Punjab agriculture department. "Farmers harvesting after November 1 will have a very limited window to sow wheat, which may lead to a surge in stubble burning in the coming days." While Amritsar and Tarn Taran have touched the 85% mark, paddy harvesting is still below 50% in Muktsar, Ferozepur, Barnala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Mansa and Ferozepur, all part of the Malwa region, known for high-yield paddy cultivation, which contributes the most to stubble burning. Sangrur saw 19 such cases on Sunday, nearly double than what the district saw (10) last year. Deputy commissioner Rahul Chaba stated that all SDMs and DSPs would mandatorily visit at least one hotspot village daily to monitor fire incidents. PPCB executive engineer Rohit Singla said 47 such cases have been reported in the district since September 15. This comes even as data from the Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) showed the estimated contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's pollution touched a season-high of 3.71% on Sunday. Typically, farm fires can contribute up to 35% of Delhi's total PM 2.5 levels when stubble burning touches its peak, usually in the first week of November. In the national capital region, the farm fire smoke, in combination with local pollutants, trapped by pre-winter meteorological conditions, unleash a public health emergency as the AQI often reaches well past 400. Officials said that while this year's cumulative figures are still lower than last year's 1,857 incidents during the same period, the situation could deteriorate further when harvesting reaches its peak. PPCB recorded 10,909 farm fire cases in 2024, with Sangrur topping the list with 1,725 cases. Rajeev Gupta, PPCB nodal officer, said, "Farm fires so far are down by nearly 60% as compared to last year. This is an outcome of the collective efforts of field officials and deputy commissioners who have been working round the clock. Besides, the government has already provided machinery to farmers for ex-situ management of paddy stubble." He added that the PPCB had identified hotspot areas, especially in Malwa districts, and deployed additional manpower to ensure strict enforcement and close monitoring in those regions. Punjab Police have so far registered 266 FIRs against farmers for violating stubble-burning norms. Of these, 73 FIRs have been lodged in Tarn Taran alone - the district reporting the highest number of farm fire incidents. The farmers have been booked under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant. To curb stubble burning, the pollution board has made 276 "red entries" in the land records of violators - a step that bars them from availing agricultural loans or selling land. The PPCB has also imposed environmental compensation worth Rs.16.8 lakh in 329 cases, of which Rs.12 lakh has been recovered. The Air Quality Index (AQI) across several major cities deteriorated sharply on Sunday, slipping into the 'poor' category. Jalandhar recorded the highest AQI in the state at 212, followed by Bathinda (205) and Ludhiana (201). The PPCB has warned that the situation may worsen in the days ahead as calm weather conditions and lower wind speeds are expected to trap pollutants closer to the ground, prolonging the presence of smoke in the atmosphere. Officials have urged farmers to refrain from burning crop residue and to use alternative methods such as mulching and baling, but with the sowing window narrowing rapidly, the challenge appears far from over....