Reversing the trend of registering a sharp dip in the field fire incidents over the past three seasons, Haryana has seen over a three-fold rise in the cases during the ongoing wheat harvesting cycle, raising the hackles of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and bringing the veracity of enforcement drives under scrutiny.
According to official data of the agriculture department, accessed by HT, the state has recorded 2,657 farm fire incidents between April 1 and May 5, which is the highest count in the last five years and exceeds 2,465 cases recorded in the 2022 wheat harvesting season.
The data shows that the steady decline observed after 2022 has not been sustained. For instance, farm fire incidents dropped to 778 in 2023 before rising marginally to 1,157 in 2024 and again falling to 789 last year.
Government sources say the steep rise in farm fires this year was at the centre of a review meeting the CAQM held on Wednesday—via a video conference—with Haryana government officials. Though the CAQM meeting was convened to primarily review the paddy harvesting action plan, pointed questions were raised on the issue of a spike in farm fires. The CAQM wanted to know the reasons behind this “significant spurt” in cases and the steps Haryana was planning to take to halt this trend under the kharif action plan when the paddy harvesting starts in October.
“The CAQM authorities reviewed the current spurt in the farm fires and the steps we will take to contain it during the paddy harvesting cycle. The CAQM specifically pointed out why Jind district remains a hotspot in wheat harvesting cycles,” said an official of the Haryana agriculture department present in the meeting, asking not to be identified. The CAQM review meeting was also attended by other state officials, including deputy commissioners and superintendents of police.
Central, western districts record highest cases
The analysis of district-wise data indicates that the rise in active fire locations (AFLs) is being driven by districts in central and western Haryana. Jind has emerged as the biggest hotspot with 439 incidents, followed by Rohtak with 388 and Jhajjar with 282 incidents of farm fires.
Sonepat has recorded 221 incidents, Kaithal (199), Sirsa (178), Karnal (172), Hisar (171), Fatehabad (156), and Panipat 133 cases, accounting for a significant share of the state’s total fires. Bhiwani has recorded 74 cases, Ambala 55, Gurugram 21, Kurukshetra 49 and Palwal 39.
A number of districts have recorded steep year-after-year increases with farm fire cases in Hisar rising from 37 incidents last year to 171 this season, Panipat from 32 to 133, Ambala from 18 to 55 and Bhiwani from 14 to 74 incidents.
The CAQM authorities also enquired if Haryana was giving ₹1,200 per acre incentive to farmers for wheat crop residue management, which the state government gives to the cultivators for paddy residue management.
“There is no proposal whatsoever under consideration of the state government to give any incentive to cultivators during the wheat harvesting cycle, as it involves a huge financial burden,” a top government functionary told HT, requesting anonymity.
Officials said that cases are being registered against the farmers and that fines have been imposed. “For instance, nine FIRs have been registered in Karnal district against the farmers, where 172 cases have been recorded. In Kurukshetra, authorities are going to book 19 farmers for burning crop residue,” the official quoted above added.
Mechanised residue mgmt costly: Farmers
State agriculture department officials attribute this escalation to renewed reliance of farmers on stubble burning during wheat harvesting, to the absence of incentives and lack of enforcement drives.
On the other hand, cultivators said that marginal farmers prefer “matchstick to deal with crop residue” to costly mechanised harvesting and cultivation.
The data points towards higher fire activity across the state’s central agrarian belt and areas marked by intensive wheat cultivation, where crop residue disposal poses logistical challenges. In contrast, some districts have reported minimal activity with Mahendragarh recording no incidents in five years and Panchkula, Rewari and Mewat registering isolated cases.
A progressive farmer, Sushil Kamboj, a BTech (Mechanical) graduate from Karnal district’s Indri block, who cultivates 10 acres, gave a candid explanation as to why farmers opt for burning crop residue, even as a super seeder remains an effective solution to deal with crop residue.
“For a farmer, one matchstick is cheaper than hiring a super seeder. Managing crop residue using a super seeder costs nearly ₹2,000 per acre, which marginal farmers often find difficult to bear,” Kamboj said.
“If wheat stubble is not properly managed by the machine, it resurfaces after paddy transplantation, affecting the crop. A marginal farmer saves money by burning the stubble instead of hiring equipment. Burning crop residue remains the surest and shortest route.”
GFX
Head
Burning issue
2022: 2,465
2023: 778
2024; 1,157
2025: 789
2026: 2,657
Top 10 hotspot dists
Jind: 439
Rohtak: 388
Jhajjar: 282
Sonepat: 221
Kaithal: 199
Sirsa: 178
Karnal: 172
Hisar: 171
Fatehabad: 156
Panipat: 133
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