CAQM team reviews paddy stubble management in Sangrur, Patiala and Malerkotla
A high-level team of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held a review meeting in Sangrur on 31 October 2026 and inspected stubble management work in three Punjab districts. It concerns farmers and officials in these districts.
What this means for you
This is not a new scheme or an application for the general public. It is a review of stubble management involving farmers and officials in three Punjab districts. For people in Delhi-NCR, it is linked to cleaner air, since smoke from stubble burning affects air quality.
Key facts
- The review meeting was held on 31 October 2026 at the district administrative complex in Sangrur.
- Deputy Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police, PPCB and agriculture officials, and CPCB flying squads from Sangrur, Patiala and Malerkotla took part.
- A unit on Dhuri Road in Malerkotla uses paddy stubble as fuel in its 20 TPH boiler; industry representatives said about 17,000 metric tonnes of stubble would be used a year.
- The team saw in-situ machinery at Ahmadabad village in Malerkotla, and the agriculture department demonstrated a 'Super Seeder' machine.
- Villages Bassiark, Kapiyal and Jhaneri in Bhawanigarh tehsil of Sangrur, and hotspot village Gharachon, were visited.
- A pellet-making unit was visited at Nadampur village in Bhawanigarh; these pellets are later used as fuel in thermal power plants.
What happened
A high-level team of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which works for Delhi-NCR and nearby areas, held a review meeting at the district administrative complex in Sangrur on 31 October 2026. The team included CAQM technical member Dr S.D. Attri and Scientist ‘C’ Shri Vijay Kumar.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police, officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the agriculture department from Sangrur, Patiala and Malerkotla districts, and flying squads of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
What was reviewed
The main purpose was to review the district administration’s preparations for managing paddy stubble and the steps being taken to stop stubble burning in these districts. The team also reviewed arrangements for the ongoing harvest season.
What was seen on the ground
In Ahmadabad village of Malerkotla district, the team saw ‘in-situ’ machinery, which manages stubble within the field itself, at work. The agriculture department also demonstrated the working of a ‘Super Seeder’ machine. The team met farmers, who assured that they would not burn paddy stubble and would manage it using in-situ machinery.
The team visited villages Bassiark, Kapiyal and Jhaneri in Bhawanigarh tehsil of Sangrur district. At hotspot village Gharachon, in-situ and ex-situ (outside the field) stubble management was demonstrated. The team was told about arrangements to provide Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery to farmers for in-situ management. Farmers also described the difficulties they face in using this machinery.
What else stubble is used for
On Dhuri Road in Malerkotla, the team visited an ex-situ stubble use unit that makes duplex board and paper. The unit uses paddy stubble as fuel in its 20 TPH capacity boiler. Industry representatives said about 17,000 metric tonnes of paddy stubble would be used in their boiler furnace every year.
At Nadampur village in Bhawanigarh, the team visited a unit that makes pellets from paddy stubble. These pellets are later used as fuel in thermal power plants. The team was told that such units help promote ex-situ stubble management and give farmers an alternative to burning crop residue.
What officials were told
CAQM officials asked the departments concerned to keep strict monitoring and make continuous, concrete efforts to stop stubble burning. The team advised officials to ensure effective stubble management as promised in their action plans, and said action on the ground should match the targets set.
Questions and answers
Where did the CAQM team visit?
The team reviewed stubble management in Sangrur, Patiala and Malerkotla districts. This included villages Bassiark, Kapiyal, Jhaneri and Gharachon in Bhawanigarh tehsil of Sangrur, Ahmadabad village in Malerkotla, and Nadampur village in Bhawanigarh.
What help is being given to farmers to stop stubble burning?
The district administration is providing Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery to farmers for in-situ management. The team was told about these arrangements, and farmers shared the difficulties they face in using this machinery.
Where else can paddy stubble be used instead of burning?
Pellets made from stubble are used as fuel in thermal power plants. A duplex board/paper unit in Malerkotla also uses stubble as fuel in its boiler.
Do ordinary people need to fill any form because of this review?
No. This is a government review meeting and field visit; there is no application or form for the general public.
What is CAQM?
CAQM is the Commission for Air Quality Management, set up for Delhi-NCR and nearby areas to improve air quality. Its team reviewed stubble management preparations in these districts.
Source: PIB, "वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग की उच्च स्तरीय टीम ने पंजाब के संगरूर, पटियाला और मलेरकोटला में धान की पराली के प्रबंधन उपायों की समीक्षा की", 31 October 2026. Read the original notice
This routine notice was drafted with AI from an official source and published automatically; an editor reviews it after publishing. Report an error