Lucknow: Despite sustained government drives, strict enforcement and satellite monitoring, Uttar Pradesh has recorded a worrying rise in stubble-burning incidents this year. Data from 15 September to 26 November shows 6,284 cases, nearly 1,000 more than last year, indicating that awareness campaigns and penalties have not yielded the expected results.
Maharajganj Tops the List
Maharajganj has once again emerged as the most affected district, reporting 661 cases of stubble burning—far ahead of other districts. The situation is similarly concerning in:
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Jhansi – 448 cases
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Jalaun – 359 cases
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Kanpur Dehat – 275 cases
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Gorakhpur – 192 cases
These districts remain hotspots despite ongoing preventive efforts.
Government Efforts Show Limited Impact
Over the past few years, the state government has intensified its crackdown on crop residue burning. Key measures include:
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3,920 awareness programmes for farmers
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₹27.85 lakh in fines imposed across 1,304 cases
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Deployment of nodal officers for every 50–100 farmers
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Training on composting, residue management machines and bio-decomposer technology
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Continuous satellite data support from IARI (Pusa)
However, officials admit that the figures are rising instead of falling. Agriculture Director Dr. Pankaj Tripathi noted that while some fire instances captured by satellites may be external, the 5,968 verified cases still exceed last year’s count. He added that many farmers resorted to burning fields to dry them quickly after unexpected rainfall.
Districts Showing Improvement
A few regions, however, have reported encouragingly low or declining numbers:
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Varanasi – 3 cases
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Sant Ravidas Nagar – 4 cases
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Chandauli, Sonbhadra, Farrukhabad, Lalitpur, Agra – 5 each
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Kasganj – 8 cases
Additionally, Prayagraj, Amroha, Badaun, Ballia, Barabanki, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur have recorded fewer cases than last year.
Growing Concern
The rising numbers underscore the need for stronger awareness, wider access to farm machinery and more effective field-level monitoring. With stubble burning contributing to air pollution and long-term soil damage, experts stress that immediate corrective action is essential to curb the practice before winter pollution intensifies further.
