Under the 1986 Environment Protection Act (EPA), the Central Government increases penalties for stubble burning with new regulations that drastically raise the fines for farmers who burn their stubble. These harsher fines, which now reach ₹30,000, are a consequence of growing environmental worries as Delhi’s wintertime air quality continues to deteriorate due to agricultural stubble fires from neighboring states.

Increased Penalties and Regulations on Stubble Burning

The 2024 amendment rules and regulations, which instantly treble punishments as the Central Government increases penalties for stubble burning, were issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas. For each occurrence of stubble burning, farmers with less than two acres will pay ₹5,000, those with two to five acres ₹10,000, and those with more than five acres ₹30,000. These fines used to be half as high as they are now.

After the Supreme Court reprimanded “toothless” environmental legislation and ineffectual fines, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change institutionalized these regulations under the EPA and the Commission for Air Quality Management Act, 2021.

On November 4, the EPA released new recommendations to strengthen accountability, including how to conduct inquiries, handle adjudications, and file complaints with pollution control boards and agencies.

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Enforcement and Monitoring Efforts

Following the updated penalty rates, the CAQM has given officers the authority to enforce and collect environmental compensation from farmers who burn stubble in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

State authorities are responsible for recording the personal and land information of farmers caught engaging in stubble burning, along with obtaining their signatures on the imposed penalties.

According to reports, the national capital’s air quality is still extremely bad; on November 7, the AQI was 369. AQI spikes are frequently caused by farm fires in northern India, which in recent months have been responsible for up to 35.1% of Delhi’s PM 2.5 pollution.

Farmer Responses and Calls for Supportive Measures

Farmers’ organizations believe that to successfully reduce stubble burning, government assistance is required. They note that as the Central Government increases penalties for stubble burning, these penalties disproportionately affect smaller farmers, who frequently lack access to stubble management equipment, according to representatives of organizations like the Bhartiya Kisan Union and All India Kisan Sabha. To meet their requirements, they recommend incentives or subsidies rather than penalties.

Comprehensive stubble management techniques are recommended by experts such as those from the Centre for Science and Environment. To encourage in-situ and ex-situ management strategies that might reduce environmental effects while providing alternate applications for stubble, they place a strong emphasis on prompt access to equipment, transportation, and storage options.

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