New Delhi, December 1, 2025: The Centre on Monday informed Parliament that Punjab and Haryana together recorded nearly 90 per cent fewer stubble-burning incidents during the 2025 paddy harvesting season compared to 2022. Responding to a question from Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that while farm fires remain an “episodic event,” they intensify winter air pollution in the region.
Yadav added that Delhi registered its lowest January–November average air quality index since 2018, excluding the nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020. Channi had raised concerns about Delhi’s AQI crossing 450 this year despite a reported 20 per cent fall in stubble-burning cases in Punjab. He also asked about the enforcement of CAQM directives and the availability of alternative machinery for farmers.
The minister said air pollution in Delhi-NCR is driven by multiple local and regional factors, including vehicular and industrial emissions, dust from construction sites, waste burning, landfill fires and prevailing weather conditions. Stubble burning in Punjab and NCR, he said, adds to this as an occasional but significant contributor.
In a written reply, Yadav noted that Delhi recorded 200 “good” air quality days in 2025 so far, compared to just 110 days in 2016. Meanwhile, the number of “very poor” and “severe” days fell from 71 in 2024 to 50 this year.
Highlighting steps taken to curb farm fires, the minister said Punjab and Haryana have received over ₹3,120 crore since 2018-19 for the distribution of crop residue management equipment. More than 2.6 lakh machines have been supplied to individual farmers and over 33,800 to custom hiring centres. The CAQM has instructed both states to ensure these machines are available rent-free for small and marginal farmers.
The commission also mandated the use of paddy-straw-based biomass pellets or briquettes in brick kilns beyond NCR, with co-firing targets set to increase from 20 per cent this year to 50 per cent by 2028. Thermal power plants within 300 km of the capital have been directed to co-fire up to 10 per cent biomass pellets with coal.
To monitor compliance, 31 flying squads from the Central Pollution Control Board were deployed across hotspot districts in Punjab and Haryana between October 1 and November 30. High-level meetings were held throughout October and November with top officials and state governments to review preparedness and enforcement.
Yadav said the government is currently assessing how effectively crop residue machines are being used, reviewing district-level interventions and ensuring steady biomass supply chains for thermal plants and pellet manufacturing units.
