Centre hikes stubble burning fines, farmers may face Rs 30,000 penalty

The Government of India has doubled penalties for farmers involved in stubble burning to combat Delhi’s air pollution. Under the new rules, effective immediately, farmers with less than two acres will face a Rs 5,000 fine.

Those with two to five acres will incur a Rs 10,000 penalty, while farmers with over five acres will be fined Rs 30,000 for each instance of burning paddy stubble, according to the updated 2024 rules from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.

The amended rules in the CAQM (Imposition, Collection and Utilization of Environmental Compensation for Stubble Burning) Amendment Rules, 2024, were issued under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.

The new enforcement mechanism follows a Supreme Court rebuke of India’s environmental regulations last month, when the EPA was criticized as “toothless” due to ineffective fines and delays in appointing enforcement officers after the 2023 Jan Vishwas Amendment diluted penalties under the act.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change notified the Environment Protection (Manner of Holding Inquiry and Imposition of Penalty) Rules, 2024, detailing processes for lodging complaints, initiating inquiries, and handling pollution violations. This includes filing complaints with the central and state pollution control boards, the CAQM, and the Union Environment Ministry.

The changes come as Delhi’s air quality remains dire. On November 7, the city recorded a “very poor” air quality index (AQI) of 369, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research). The Supreme Court had previously expressed concern over the EPA’s effectiveness, citing a lack of adjudicating officers to enforce penalties. A recent Court order emphasized that, without a framework and appointed officers, the penalties in Section 15 of the EPA were unenforceable.

A recent Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report underscored that vehicle emissions, not farm fires, are the main contributor to Delhi’s pollution crisis. The CSE study analyzed particulate matter (PM) pollution, congestion, and the strained public transport system, using real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board, farm fire counts, and traffic metrics.

The government’s revised penalty structure for stubble burning represents a significant step toward enforcing accountability for pollution; however, its impact remains to be seen as the enforcement framework evolves.

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