Punjab, Haryana: Stubble burning down 50%, Rs 68 cr fine; Delhi pollution cause questioned

• Stubble burning cases in Punjab and Haryana dropped by over 50% from 2024 to 2025, with total incidents falling from 12,750 to 6,080.
• FIRs against farmers for stubble burning decreased from 6,469 in 2024 to 2,193 in 2025 across both states.
• Approximately Rs 68 crore in fines were imposed on farmers in Punjab and Haryana over the past two years for stubble burning violations.
• Recent research indicates stubble burning is no longer the primary cause of severe air pollution spikes in Delhi-NCR, contributing less than 5% for most of early winter.
• A consistent downward trend in stubble burning events has been observed over the last six years in Punjab and Haryana.

Why It Matters: Reduced stubble burning reveals other major causes of Delhi's air pollution.