- Flying Squads deployed in 34 districts across Punjab and Haryana
- Punjab has 18 districts covered; Haryana has 16
- Deployment runs from 1 October to 30 November 2026
- Squads will report ground conditions to CAQM daily
- Teams will work with farmers, enforcement agencies and district authorities
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has deployed Flying Squads in 34 districts of Punjab and Haryana to prevent paddy stubble burning. The squads will work from 1 October to 30 November 2026.
The move follows a request from CAQM to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Commission said it has stepped up its coordinated field-level monitoring for the paddy harvesting period.
Coverage across two States
The squads cover 18 districts in Punjab and 16 in Haryana. They have been assigned in phases, with different districts covered for different periods, so monitoring continues through the 2026 harvesting season.
In Punjab, the districts include Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Muktsar, Bathinda, Amritsar, Moga, Mansa, Fazilka, Patiala, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Barnala, Malerkotla, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib.
In Haryana, they include Jind, Fatehabad, Hisar, Kaithal, Sonipat, Rohtak, Sirsa, Karnal, Palwal, Jhajjar, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Faridabad, Panipat and Hansi.
Daily reporting and coordination
The squads will assess conditions on the ground in their districts. They will coordinate with farmers, the Parali Protection Force, district administrations and State government nodal officers.
They will also work with officers of the State Pollution Control Boards and the CAQM Cell at SAS Nagar. The squads will send daily reports on conditions and on steps taken to stop fresh burning.
Need for joint effort
CAQM said the daily reports will help it assess the situation continuously. It will also allow follow-up with the authorities concerned where needed.
The Commission has been reviewing the measures with State governments, State Pollution Control Boards and district administrations. It has called for concerted efforts by all agencies, with the cooperation of farmers and other stakeholders.
