Field enforcement across agricultural belts in Punjab has intensified following early instances of paddy straw burning recorded up to October 5. Data compiled by the Commission for Air Quality Management reveals that 84 separate fire incidents have been tracked across the state. In response to these alerts, inspection squads conducted on-site verifications across 78 agricultural plots, confirming active stubble burning at 30 specific locations and initiating penalty proceedings against violators.
Financial Penalties and Revenue Record Actions
To discourage farm fires, authorities levied environmental compensation totaling 1.40 lakh rupees across 28 separate violations. Enforcement teams have successfully collected 55 thousand rupees of this assessed amount so far. Beyond monetary penalties, administrative teams have registered red entries in the official land records of 13 farmers, which restricts access to certain agricultural benefits. A formal police FIR has also been lodged in one case, while field supervisors and nodal personnel have handed out show-cause notices and warnings at 36 locations.
Amritsar and Tarn Taran Lead in Violations
District-level figures reveal that Amritsar accounted for the highest concentration of farm fire incidents, recording 49 events. Field teams inspected 45 farm sites in the district and validated fire occurrences at 13 spots. Officials imposed 55 thousand rupees in environmental compensation across 11 cases in Amritsar, recovering 35 thousand rupees of that sum, alongside issuing 32 official warning notices.
Tarn Taran followed with 18 reported incidents. Administrative visits to 16 farm properties confirmed violations at 9 locations. Consequently, penalties totaling 45 thousand rupees were levied across 9 cases, yielding 10 thousand rupees in collections, while 9 farmers received red entries in their land documentation.
Enforcement Data from Firozpur and Patiala
In Firozpur, all 5 reported fire incidents were physically inspected and verified as genuine stubble burnings. The administration imposed 25 thousand rupees in environmental penalties across all 5 violations, recovering 5 thousand rupees and issuing 4 red entries. Patiala recorded 2 fire instances, both of which were confirmed upon inspection. A combined penalty of 10 thousand rupees was assessed for these two cases, where recovery remains pending, and one formal FIR was registered against a violator.
