📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sita Ram (fl. c.1810-1822)
Agriculture
Stubble Burning in Punjab Leads to Smog Over Patiala Highway
✍️ India Today
🗓 06 Nov 2026, 01:02 AM
👁 17
Around 2,000 stubble‑burning incidents were recorded in Punjab, enveloping the Patiala highway in thick smog and reducing visibility for commuters.
Punjab authorities logged roughly two thousand cases of stubble burning in the recent days, a surge that has shrouded the Patiala‑Kharar stretch of the highway in dense smog. The haze, visible from several kilometres away, has lowered road visibility to under 100 metres in places, prompting drivers to slow down and use high‑beam lights.
The reduced visibility has led to traffic snarls and raised concerns about respiratory health among commuters and nearby residents. Local health officials have warned that prolonged exposure to the particulate matter could aggravate asthma and other breathing ailments.
State officials said they are intensifying aerial surveillance and ground patrols to curb illegal burning. The agriculture department has urged farmers to adopt alternative residue‑management practices, such as in‑field mulching or machine‑assisted removal, ahead of the upcoming rabi sowing season.
Stubble burning has become a seasonal challenge across Punjab, contributing significantly to the region’s winter air‑quality crisis. The current episode underscores the need for coordinated enforcement and farmer support to mitigate the environmental impact.
The reduced visibility has led to traffic snarls and raised concerns about respiratory health among commuters and nearby residents. Local health officials have warned that prolonged exposure to the particulate matter could aggravate asthma and other breathing ailments.
State officials said they are intensifying aerial surveillance and ground patrols to curb illegal burning. The agriculture department has urged farmers to adopt alternative residue‑management practices, such as in‑field mulching or machine‑assisted removal, ahead of the upcoming rabi sowing season.
Stubble burning has become a seasonal challenge across Punjab, contributing significantly to the region’s winter air‑quality crisis. The current episode underscores the need for coordinated enforcement and farmer support to mitigate the environmental impact.