New Delhi, November 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A high-level team of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas reviewed paddy straw management arrangements and measures to prevent stubble burning in Sangrur, Patiala and Malerkotla districts of Punjab.
During the review, CAQM officials asked the concerned departments to maintain coordinated efforts and closely monitor incidents of stubble burning. They stressed that the actual work on the ground must match the targets and commitments made by the departments.
The review focused on the preparedness of district administrations for paddy straw management and the prevention of stubble fires during the ongoing harvesting season.
As part of its visit, the team inspected an ex-situ paddy straw utilisation facility at a duplex board and paper-making unit on Dhuri Road in Malerkotla. The facility uses paddy straw as fuel in a boiler with a capacity of 20 tonnes per hour.
Industry representatives informed the team that the boiler furnace was expected to utilise around 17,000 metric tonnes of paddy straw annually.
The team also visited village Ahmadabad in Malerkotla district to observe the use of in-situ crop residue management machinery. The Agriculture Department demonstrated the operation of a super seeder.
During the visit, the officials interacted with farmers, who assured them that they would not burn paddy straw and would instead manage the residue using in-situ machinery.
In Sangrur district, the CAQM team visited Bassiark, Kapial and Jhaneri villages in Bhawanigarh tehsil. It also visited Gharachon, identified as a stubble-burning hotspot, where both ex-situ and in-situ paddy straw management methods were demonstrated.
The team interacted with farmers in Gharachon and reviewed the district administration’s preparedness, including arrangements to ensure the availability of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery for in-situ management.
Farmers also highlighted the difficulties they faced in using CRM machinery.
The CAQM team asked district administrations and concerned departments to continue strengthening their efforts to ensure effective paddy straw management and prevent stubble burning throughout the harvesting season.
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