📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, usi
Agriculture
Punjab's Stubble Burning Drops Yet Fog Lingers Ahead of 2027 Elections
✍️ NDTV
🗓 21 Sep 2026, 08:12 AM
👁 21
Fewer stubble fires have been reported in Punjab this season, but dense fog continues to affect air quality, shaping political debates as the state gears up for the 2027 polls.
The latest satellite data shows a noticeable decline in stubble‑burning incidents across Punjab’s wheat‑harvested fields compared with previous years. While the reduction eases immediate fire‑related health risks, meteorologists warn that the region remains shrouded in thick winter fog, keeping particulate matter levels high.
State officials attribute the drop to stricter enforcement of the existing ban on open burning and the promotion of mechanised residue‑management equipment. However, farmer unions argue that the cost of such machinery remains prohibitive for smallholders, prompting calls for greater subsidies.
As the 2027 state assembly elections approach, the stubble‑burning issue has resurfaced as a political flashpoint. Opposition parties are accusing the incumbent government of neglecting rural air‑quality concerns, while the ruling party highlights its enforcement record as evidence of responsible governance.
Environmental NGOs note that despite fewer fires, the lingering fog continues to exacerbate respiratory ailments, especially among vulnerable populations in urban centres like Ludhiana and Amritsar. The debate is likely to influence voter sentiment in agrarian constituencies where farm‑related policies dominate electoral narratives.
State officials attribute the drop to stricter enforcement of the existing ban on open burning and the promotion of mechanised residue‑management equipment. However, farmer unions argue that the cost of such machinery remains prohibitive for smallholders, prompting calls for greater subsidies.
As the 2027 state assembly elections approach, the stubble‑burning issue has resurfaced as a political flashpoint. Opposition parties are accusing the incumbent government of neglecting rural air‑quality concerns, while the ruling party highlights its enforcement record as evidence of responsible governance.
Environmental NGOs note that despite fewer fires, the lingering fog continues to exacerbate respiratory ailments, especially among vulnerable populations in urban centres like Ludhiana and Amritsar. The debate is likely to influence voter sentiment in agrarian constituencies where farm‑related policies dominate electoral narratives.