Farm fires in Punjab produced 898 detected anomalies across eight districts over the past 24 hours, according to the consolidated district-wise monitoring dashboard of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab, which was updated on November 14. The agency said 820 incidents had been attended and 823 fires reported as extinguished, as authorities intensify efforts against stubble burning during the smog season.
Farm Fires in Punjab Concentrated in Three Districts
Hafizabad emerged as the largest hotspot, accounting for 430 anomalies, or roughly 47.9 per cent of the provincial total. Of these, 381 were attended and extinguished, while 49 remained pending. The district has nine quick response crews deployed, which works out to an average of 47.8 detected anomalies per crew and represents the highest operational pressure among the monitored districts.
Sheikhupura ranked second with 172 detected anomalies, of which 154 were attended and extinguished and 18 remained pending. The district has 22 quick response crews on the ground and recorded a response rate of 89.5 per cent. Nankana Sahib reported 120 anomalies, with 95 attended and extinguished and 25 pending, giving it a response rate of 79.2 per cent, the lowest among the districts with substantial activity.
Faisalabad recorded 93 anomalies, of which 90 were attended and extinguished, leaving three pending and achieving a response rate of 96.8 per cent. Kasur and Sialkot reported 70 and 10 anomalies respectively, and neither district had any pending cases. Sargodha recorded two anomalies, both of which were attended and extinguished, while Gujranwala reported a single anomaly that remained unattended at the time of reporting.
The figures show that Hafizabad, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib together account for 722 of the 898 detected anomalies. This concentration makes the three districts particularly important for sustained monitoring and the deployment of response resources.
Response Capacity of EPA Punjab
A total of 67 quick response crews have been deployed by EPA Punjab across the districts concerned, and the overall response rate stands at 91.3 per cent. Even so, 96 detected anomalies remain pending for response. Separately, the motorway beat vehicle monitoring report for the same period recorded 20 fire anomalies, of which 13 were attended and seven remained pending, putting the response rate at 65 per cent.
The agency is combining district-level anomaly detection, motorway beat vehicle surveillance and field-based crews to identify fire incidents and ensure that they are extinguished promptly. Officials say the approach is intended to ensure that every detected hotspot receives a timely response.
Directors Deployed to Supervise Stubble Burning Operations
To strengthen field monitoring, EPA Punjab has deployed its headquarters-based directors across different divisions of the province to directly supervise anti-stubble burning operations. The directors are monitoring field operations in coordination with the agriculture department and district administrations, with the initiative aimed at ensuring the accountability of field teams and expediting action in the hotspot districts.
According to an order issued on November 13, five directors have been assigned specific divisions to supervise operations on November 14 and 15. Waseem Ahsan Cheema, Director (P&C), has been given Gujrat Division, while Mian Ejaz Majeed, Director (L&E), will oversee Sahiwal Division. Anjum Riaz, Director (MEAs), has been assigned Faisalabad Division, Noor Ahmad, Director (EMC) at the EPA Lab Lahore, will supervise Lahore Division, and Nazim Ayaz Alam, Director (EDH), will handle Gujranwala Division.
The directors are also required to coordinate with district field officers and relevant line departments so that action can be taken immediately against violators. On completing their assignments, each is expected to submit a field visit report to the EPA Director General.
Coordinated Action Seen as Key to Prevention
EPA Punjab Director General Abdullah Nayyer Sheikh stressed the importance of monitoring the actual situation on the ground, verifying reported fire incidents and identifying operational gaps. He said farm fires required coordinated efforts by the EPA, the agriculture department and district administrations, adding that effective prevention depended on continuous surveillance and immediate field intervention.
With nearly half of all detected incidents concentrated in a single district, the coming days are likely to test whether the enhanced supervision can bring down the number of pending cases and limit the spread of smoke during the smog season.
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