Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 4 hrs ago
Madhya Pradesh leads India in paddy residue fires as national incidents rise
Madhya Pradesh recorded 350 paddy-residue fires from September 15 to October 15, more than twice its 138 incidents a year earlier.
India recorded 793 fires in that period, compared with 724 last year; incidents fell in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, stayed nearly unchanged in Punjab, and rose in Rajasthan.
Burning crop stubble adds to seasonal air pollution in northern India.
Farmers often burn residue to clear fields quickly and avoid the cost of removing it, especially when there is little time between paddy harvest and wheat sowing.
The Union agriculture minister urged Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to act, asking them to identify affected areas and put special plans in place.
The Centre has supplied states with more than 354,000 residue-management machines and released ₹430.87 crore under its crop-residue scheme for the 2026–27 financial year.
More fires may follow as harvesting gathers pace after Diwali, while wheat sowing normally begins in Punjab and Haryana in the first week of November.
India recorded 793 paddy residue-burning incidents from September 15 to October 15, up from 724 in the same period a year earlier.
Madhya Pradesh had the most incidents, with 350 compared with 138 a year earlier.
Incidents fell in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, remained nearly unchanged in Punjab and rose in Rajasthan.
Paddy residue burning is a key driver of seasonal air pollution in northern India.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to identify affected areas and implement special action plans.
- Who
- Farmers in several Indian states were linked to reported paddy residue-burning incidents. Madhya Pradesh recorded the most.
- What
- India recorded 793 incidents from September 15 to October 15, up from 724 a year earlier.
- When
- The reported comparison covers September 15 to October 15. The article was published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- The incidents were reported across India, with the highest total in Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- Burning is linked to paddy harvesting. Delays can leave farmers less time to prepare fields for wheat sowing and may lead them to burn residue to save labour costs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The period used to count incidents began after paddy harvesting started.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to identify affected districts and villages and implement special action plans.
The reporting period ended with 793 incidents nationally, compared with 724 in the year-earlier period.
Diwali was due to be celebrated, after which paddy harvesting was expected to pick up.
- National incidents
- 793 from September 15 to October 15, compared with 724 a year earlier
- Madhya Pradesh
- 350 incidents, compared with 138 a year earlier
- Punjab
- 185 incidents, compared with 176 a year earlier
- Uttar Pradesh
- 134 incidents, compared with 271 a year earlier
- Rajasthan
- 99 incidents, compared with 75 a year earlier
- Haryana
- 8 incidents, compared with 25 a year earlier
What people are saying
Therefore, the administrative machinery must move beyond files and take action directly on the ground on a war footing. They issued firm directions for district-level collectors to convene meetings promptly, strengthen monitoring and ensure that practical solutions were implemented without delay