MP set to take 1st spot from Punjab in stubble-burning, reports 1,052 fires

Stubble burning is almost synonymous with the north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, yet Madhya Pradesh is fast emerging as the biggest contributor, The Times of India reported.

According to data by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS), Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday, reported 1,052 farm fires, the highest in the country on that day. On the same day, Haryana reported 72 farm fires while Punjab recorded 312 fires.

CREAMS, which is an interdisciplinary research initiative of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), stated that between September 15 and November 11, Madhya Pradesh recorded a total of 3,569 stubble-burning incidents, trailing just Punjab's 4,507. The other states that followed include Uttar Pradesh (2,224), Rajasthan (1,577), and Haryana (435).

Why are farm fires rising sharply in Madhya Pradesh?

The report suggests that there has been a rapid escalation in the number of farm fires reported in the state. As of November 4, Madhya Pradesh's count was 622. In a week, the state reported 2,947 stubble-burning incidents.

Since November 5, Madhya Pradesh has been reporting the highest number of stubble-burning incidents, except on November 9, when Punjab bagged the first spot in the not-wished-for race.

The daily tally of the state has shown a steep increase, with 131 incidents reported on November 5, 354 on November 6, 237 on November 7, 353 on November 8, 398 on November 9, 422 on November 10, and 1,052 on November 11.

What explains the surge in farm fires?

The surge in the stubble-burning cases in Madhya Pradesh has been attributed to the delayed paddy harvest, according to experts. The paddy harvest usually begins in late October and continues through November, much later than in Punjab and Haryana, where it peaks in late October. As a result, the stubble-burning wave in Madhya Pradesh begins when the number in northern states starts to come down.

Which districts are turning into stubble-burning hotspots?

According to the report, districts like Ashoknagar, Datia, Guna, Narmadapuram, and Seoni are emerging as the hotspots. As of November 6, Narmadapuram reported 149 cases, followed by Ashoknagar at 103, and Seoni at 101.

In 2024, Madhya Pradesh topped the list in stubble-burning after it recorded 13,309 incidents between September 15 and November 22. Last year, only two districts, Sheopur and Narmadapuram, accounted for more than 34 per cent of stubble-burning incidents. Of the 8,917 cases reported between September 15 and November 14, Sheopur and Narmadapuram reported 3,078 cases.

How are farm-fire trends shifting across North India?

Business Standard previously reported that paddy stubble burning has continued its downward trajectory, extending a three-year trend of decline. In the first 25 days of the current stubble-burning season, which runs from September 15 to November 30, incidents have fallen by 65 per cent. Punjab and Haryana, the two states historically linked to the practice, have recorded sharp drops of 64 per cent and 96 per cent, respectively.

Data from September 15 and October 16 revealed that incidents in Punjab have come down by 84 per cent compared to the year-ago period.

Madhya Pradesh, which in recent years has emerged as a fresh hotspot for paddy stubble burning, has also registered a nearly 45 per cent reduction during this period.

Experts attribute the steady fall to a combination of subsidies, incentives, and stricter enforcement. They caution, however, that recent spells of rain across northern states may undermine some of the progress made.