As winter approaches, the familiar stubble-burning problem is back.
Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the biggest source of crop-residue fires this season, while Punjab has recorded a sharp decline. Better access to crop-residue management machinery, biomass utilisation systems and technologies that can make crop residue economically useful could reduce the incentive to burn it. Technology is already being used to track the problem. Satellite remote sensing is being used to monitor active fires linked to paddy residue burning. The CREAMS system provides data through bulletins and dashboards, allowing authorities to track the spread of crop-residue fires. This can help authorities identify fires faster and improve enforcement. The bigger opportunity could be finding a commercial use for crop residue. If farmers can sell or otherwise monetise agricultural waste, burning it becomes less attractive. Biomass utilisation systems can help create this link. That could mean connecting farms with industries that can use crop residue as a raw material or fuel, provided such systems are economically viable and logistically practical.
Between September 15 and October 6, 2026, 287 crop-residue burning incidents were detected across Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, according to data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s CREAMS bulletin. Madhya Pradesh accounted for 118 of these incidents, followed by Punjab at 88 and Uttar Pradesh at 65.
The solution needs to be practical for farmers while also addressing the wider environmental impact, according to Sagar. Sagar said satellite monitoring should be combined with ground-level verification and real-time data.
