Punjab recorded its biggest single-day spike in stubble-burning incidents this season on October 29 (Thursday), with 194 farm fires reported across the state, taking the cumulative tally past the 1,000-mark.The previous major spike was recorded on October 18, when 123 incidents of stubble-burning were reported.Tarn Taran topped the district-wise tally with 397 farm-fire incidents, followed by Amritsar with 171 and Ferozepur with 104.While Punjab had recorded 1,216 stubble-burning incidents during the corresponding period in 2025, the state has witnessed 1,007 such incidents so far this season, a drop of 18 per cent.With the wheat sowing season set to begin on November 1, experts anticipate a further rise in farm fires, with incidents likely to peak around Diwali. The first fortnight of November is considered ideal for wheat sowing, putting pressure on farmers to clear their fields after harvesting paddy.The recent western disturbance and the resultant rainfall have also delayed harvesting operations, potentially adding to the pressure on farmers to dispose of paddy residue before sowing the next crop.However, a significant number of farmers are opting for stubble management techniques including in-situ (incorporating residue in the field) and ex-situ (collecting residue for industrial use and power generation).Meanwhile, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that farmers had procured 16,227 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines during the ongoing Kharif season.To support the adoption of crop residue management practices, the Punjab Government has released a subsidy of Rs 183 crore to farmers for procuring more than 10,000 CRM machines across the state.Khudian said the government had prepared a Rs 576-crore action plan for 2026-27 to strengthen crop residue management.He added that the state’s sustained efforts had contributed to a 90 per cent reduction in stubble-burning incidents, from 49,922 in 2022 to 5,114 in 2025, earning Punjab national recognition for its crop residue management strategy.