The paddy harvesting season for 2025 officially ended on November 30. Punjab and Haryana recorded a 90% reduction in stubble burning incidents this year compared to 2021. In fact, farm fires in the two States declined to their lowest levels in five years in 2025.

However, pollution levels in Delhi remained stubbornly high, triggering protests last month. This disparity shows that local sources remain the primary driver of the capital’s persistent pollution crisis.

Notably, the Supreme Court on Monday suggested that farmers could not be made scapegoats for air pollution in the national capital. The Court also asked why blue skies were visible during the pandemic years when stubble burning was relatively high and vehicles were off the roads.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE

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