Punjab has witnessed an alarming rise in wheat stubble burning during the ongoing Rabi harvesting season, recording the highest number of active fire incidents in the last three years. Satellite-based monitoring data up to May 10 shows that the state reported 7,927 cumulative farm fire incidents between April 1 and May 10, a massive 136 per cent increase compared to 3,364 incidents recorded during the same period in 2025. The number is also nearly 90 per cent higher than the 4,162 incidents reported in 2024, indicating a dramatic reversal in Punjab’s crop residue management trend. Though Punjab’s field fires percentage is around 13 per cent across the country in this Rabi season, which is a positive trend, the increase from previous years in the state is disturbing, according to experts.…