Punjab Burns Again: What Triggered Diwali Farm-Fire Surge? I Stubble Burning I TOI Special

Punjab’s stubble-burning numbers had shown marginal year-on-year improvement until Diwali, when the state recorded 1,152 farm fires in a single day. In this discussion, TOI’s Aditi Prasad speaks with Times of India Contributing Editors Amit Bhattacharya and Neel Kamal to examine the reasons behind the sudden spike and the broader picture on the ground. They discuss the pressure on farmers to clear fields before the wheat-sowing window, gaps in access to balers and residue-management machinery, rising demand for paddy straw from industries and biomass plants, and the role of enforcement and fines. The conversation also explores why small and marginal farmers remain vulnerable and what steps could make stubble management more viable.