Punjab is burning — literally and figuratively. The state woke up under a toxic blanket of smog as 442 new stubble-burning incidents were reported in a single day. The total number of fires this season has now exploded to 2,084, and the air is turning into poison.
The shocking part? Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s own district, Sangrur, leads the destruction with 108 farm fires in just one day. The government’s hollow promises and repeated appeals have clearly gone up in smoke — quite literally.
District-wise chaos paints a grim picture: Tarn Taran (49), Patiala (33), Ferozepur (40), Bathinda (42), Moga (24), Kapurthala (22), Mansa (28) — all burning, all choking. Despite crores spent on awareness drives and “eco-friendly” schemes, fields are on fire, and so is the public’s patience.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Punjab’s air has turned into a gas chamber:
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Khanna AQI: 243 (very poor)
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Patiala: 209 (very poor)
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Mandi Gobindgarh: 205 (very poor)
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Jalandhar: 184, Bathinda: 166, Ludhiana: 176, Rupnagar: 140
Visibility has plummeted. Breathability has collapsed. Children, elderly, and patients are suffering — and yet the fires rage on.
Despite ₹34.5 lakh in fines, only ₹18 lakh has been recovered. FIRs in 467 cases, 555 red entries, countless warnings — but the ground reality remains unchanged.
Tarn Taran (423 fires), Sangrur (389), and Amritsar (212) top the season’s shame list. Other major contributors include Ferozepur (207), Patiala (130), Bathinda (134), and Mansa (69).
This isn’t just pollution anymore — this is a public health emergency. Punjab’s air is being poisoned every hour, and the administration looks helpless as the state burns.
The time for “appeals” is over — Punjab needs action, not excuses.
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