Punjab govt to step up anti-stubble burning drive, seeks stronger village outreach

CM Mann said the number of paddy straw burning incidents fell from 36,663 in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024 and further to 5,114 in 2025, and stressed the need to build on the progress this year through stronger efforts at the grassroots level.Mann directed officials to take awareness campaigns deep into villages and blocks, with the participation of NGOs, social workers, panchayats and farmers.Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday called for an intensified, multi-level awareness campaign to further reduce paddy straw burning in the state, citing an 86% decline in stubble fire incidents between 2023 and 2025.CM Mann said the number of incidents fell from 36,663 in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024 and further to 5,114 in 2025, and stressed the need to build on the progress this year through stronger efforts at the grassroots level.Chairing a meeting on the state’s paddy straw management strategy, Mann directed officials to take awareness campaigns deep into villages and blocks, with the participation of NGOs, social workers, panchayats and farmers.Punjab has sown around 30 lakh hectares of paddy this year, which is expected to generate about 18.81 million tonnes of paddy straw, making effective management crucial during the harvest season. Mann said the state must ensure that the decline in stubble burning continues and called for coordinated efforts to encourage farmers to adopt alternatives to burning.“A massive information and awareness campaign must be launched at the village and block levels to make farmers aware about the hazards of paddy straw burning. Every stakeholder must work together to motivate farmers to adopt sustainable alternatives to stubble burning,” Mann said. He called for NGOs and social workers to be actively involved in reaching farmers and promoting alternative methods of straw management.The chief minister also directed officials to organise machinery demonstrations, street plays, meetings with sarpanches, pledge-taking activities and other awareness programmes extensively at the village level.Alongside field-level campaigns, Mann called for a wider digital and multimedia outreach programme. He suggested using radio jingles, print and television, mobile SMS, outdoor media and social media to spread awareness about the harmful effects of stubble burning and available alternatives.Mann also stressed the need for close coordination between districts and all stakeholders to ensure that the strategy is implemented effectively.The government is also focusing on strengthening both in-situ and ex-situ paddy straw management to reduce farmers’ dependence on burning and sustain the decline in fire incidents.- EndsPublished By: Shipra ParasharPublished On: Sep 1, 2026 21:51 IST