📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mnv179
Agriculture
Punjab Farm Fires Spread Over 5,800 Hectares, Worsening Delhi’s Air Quality
✍️ India Today
🗓 15 Nov 2026, 01:40 PM
👁 18
Farm fires in Punjab have expanded to more than 5,800 hectares, sending smoke that has pushed Delhi’s air‑quality index higher as political debate intensifies.
The agricultural burning in Punjab has now crossed the 5,800‑hectare mark, according to monitoring agencies. Fire‑fighters and local officials are working to contain the blazes, which have been fueled by dry conditions.
The smoke plume from the fires has travelled eastward, reaching the national capital where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has risen sharply. Residents in Delhi have reported hazy skies and a noticeable increase in respiratory discomfort.
The expanding fires have also become a flashpoint in the political arena, with opposition leaders accusing the state government of inadequate response while the ruling party warns of the economic impact on crop cycles. Authorities have pledged additional resources to curb the fires and mitigate the air‑pollution crisis.
Air‑monitoring stations across Delhi are now issuing health advisories, urging vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure until the situation improves.
The smoke plume from the fires has travelled eastward, reaching the national capital where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has risen sharply. Residents in Delhi have reported hazy skies and a noticeable increase in respiratory discomfort.
The expanding fires have also become a flashpoint in the political arena, with opposition leaders accusing the state government of inadequate response while the ruling party warns of the economic impact on crop cycles. Authorities have pledged additional resources to curb the fires and mitigate the air‑pollution crisis.
Air‑monitoring stations across Delhi are now issuing health advisories, urging vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure until the situation improves.