Chandigarh, Oct. 31 -- Under pressure from the Supreme Court and the Centre to check stubble burning incidents, the Punjab Police on Thursday said it has deployed around 1,700 personnel, part of the newly formed 'Parali Protection Force', across 353 hotspot villages in the state. These villages spread across Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Moga, Faridkot, SAS Nagar, Mansa, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Tarn Taran districts have traditionally reported the highest number of cases. The step comes after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in September directed Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to set up dedicated enforcement units at district and block levels to control stubble burning. Senior Punjab Police officials, privy to development, said that these 'hotspot' villages include those that reported over five cases of stubble burning last year. "The team includes 550 inspectors and sub-inspectors, who are coordinating with local administration officials to monitor fields, persuade farmers, and take punitive action in case of violations. The teams are conducting round-the-clock surveillance to prevent violations," a senior official said, pleading anonymity. The crisis is often blamed for pushing the air in North Indian states and that of the national capital Delhi, into the severe category. Apart from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh farmers also contribute to the smog. Special DGP (law & order) Arpit Shukla, who is the nodal officer for monitoring farm fire incidents, said that the new force has had a significant impact this year. "We have identified hotspots and formed 862 teams statewide to guard these areas. I can say with confidence that violations have dropped sharply in these hotspots. The Parali Protection Force not only registers FIRs but also counsels farmers not to burn stubble," Shukla said. According to official data, between September 15 and October 30, Punjab reported 1,418 farm fire cases, compared to 2,356 during the same period in 2024, and 5,254 in 2023-indicating a notable decline. Punjab Police have so far lodged 430 cases against farmers for violating stubble-burning norms....