Patiala, Oct. 18 -- With paddy harvesting gaining pace, Punjab has recorded 220 farm-fire incidents so far this kharif season, surpassing the 208 cases reported during the corresponding period last year, according to official data.

The Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) monitoring report, dated October 17, stated that the state recorded 220 farm-fire incidents under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) protocol. Of these, 191 fields had been inspected, while crop burning was physically verified at 68 sites.

The farm-fire tracking period begins on September 15 every year, two weeks before paddy procurement begins on October 1. Last year, the state recorded 5,114 cases of stubble burning, down from 10,909 in 2024.

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