Reduction in Farm Fire Incidences

The Environment Ministry reported to Parliament that fire incidences in Punjab and Haryana were reduced by 90% in 2025 compared to 2022. This refers to the practice of burning farm stubble, a method traditionally used for clearing paddy remnants to prepare fields for wheat cultivation.

Impact on Air Pollution

Stubble burning has been linked to air pollution spikes in October-November, especially affecting Delhi and surrounding regions. Efforts to mitigate this include a combination of punitive measures and incentives:

• Fines for farmers engaged in stubble burning.
• Provision of subsidised farm equipment, including combined harvesters and tractors.
• Incentives for farmers to collect stubble and sell it to thermal plants for co-firing.

Effectiveness of Measures

There is limited direct evidence showing these measures have significantly lessened stubble burning's impact on Delhi's air quality. An accurate assessment requires mass-spectrograph analysis to understand the chemical composition of pollutants, which is currently unavailable. Hence, the government relies on satellite data to count active fires as a proxy measure.

Satellite Data Analysis

While a decline in fire counts has been observed since 2020, this is considered a pyrrhic victory. When analyzing the 'burnt area' using different satellite imagery:

• The reduction in actual burnt land was only 30%: from 31,500 square kilometers in 2022 to 19,700 sq.km in 2025.
• Meteosat satellite data indicated a shift of farm fires towards evening to avoid detection.

Challenges and Recommendations

Different satellites have varying resolution capacities, complicating the true count of fires. The Supreme Court, in 2024, directed the Environment Ministry to ascertain 'burnt area' for accurate trend analysis. However, year-wise burnt-area estimates have not been made public, risking public trust in the government's pollution control claims.

The Environment Ministry must address these data discrepancies to maintain public confidence and effectively tackle air pollution.