An early dip in stubble burning provides brief relief, but the threat of pollution looms

Delhi’s brief reprieve from pollution, a welcome relief during the monsoon months, could last a little longer. As the first gusts of the stubble season arrive, the sky shows a promising change: the number of crop residue burning cases has fallen by almost 65 percent. Only 546 such cases were recorded between September 15 and October 8, 2024, a significant drop from 1,565 in the same period last year.

While this decline in stubble burning has helped keep Delhi’s air cleaner, the longevity of these lights depends on the efficient enforcement of