The Aakhya Weekly #121 | North India’s Stubble Story
In Focus: The Persistent Problem of Farm Fires
by Yashvika Malhan
Every year, North India specifically the capital Delhi faces the same familiar ordeal: the battle against air pollution. But the question lingers—who’s really to blame? Is it the firecrackers lighting up the skies during Diwali, the industries belching out smoke, the vehicles coughing up exhaust, or the infamous stubble burning? The pollution cocktail reaches its peak when all these sources align, creating a perfect smog storm. As Diwali approached this year, stubble burning in nearby states led to an astronomical rise in Delhi’s PM2.5 levels. According to the DTE-CSE report, the number of stubble fires spiked dramatically, from 160 on October 30 to 605 on October 31. Punjab contributed to 80% of these fires, with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana following at 13% and 7%, respectively. To make matters worse, north-westerly winds carried this smoke straight into Delhi on October 31, adding another layer to the city’s already toxic air.
Different reports highlight stubble burning as a major contributor to toxic air, however, the issue is a complex one, attributed to reasons beyond just the fires. It’s tangled in a web of state-level disagreements, the financial strain on farmers, and the absence of practical, scalable alternatives. Let’s explore what’s at stake.
Farmers Turn to the Flames
Stubble burning, the practice of setting fire to crop residue after paddy harvesting, remains a prevalent issue in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, particularly in Punjab and Haryana. Since the 1980s, mechanized farming has increased the volume of crop residue, with ‘combine harvesters’ leaving behind large amounts of straw. As this residue is not cleared manually, farmers often resort to burning, seeking a low-cost and time-efficient disposal method. According to a 2021 TERI report, Punjab and Haryana generate nearly 30 million metric tons (MT) of paddy straw, with approximately 23 million MT discarded through burning.
The persistence of this practice is largely tied to policy frameworks that have shaped agricultural practices in the region. The Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act (PSWA) of 2009, intended to mitigate groundwater depletion from paddy cultivation, shifted the harvest period to late October. This delay reduces the need for irrigation by capitalizing on seasonal rains, which helps protect the water table. As a consequence of this policy, however, a narrow window of time is created between the rice harvest and the next wheat planting season. Farmers must quickly clear their fields to prepare for the next crop, and due to time and cost constraints, they often resort to burning leftover stubble, given that it is considered an efficient method.
Further to the above challenge, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime, designed to stabilize farmer incomes, has further entrenched paddy cultivation, a water-intensive crop. While MSP provides economic security, it has led to an over-reliance on paddy, depleting groundwater and degrading soil health. As long as paddy cultivation remains profitable under MSP assurances, stubble burning will continue to be a routine practice, exacerbating air pollution and contributing to public health issues in Delhi and neighbouring regions.
Fighting the Fire: Countermeasures
Addressing the stubble-burning crisis requires a shift toward sustainable crop residue management practices. These can be categorized into two main strategies: in-situ, where crop residues are managed directly on the field, and ex-situ, where residues are collected and processed elsewhere. Early intervention during the crop-burning season is crucial for implementing both methods and achieving desired outcomes.
The government has introduced initiatives like the Promotion of Agricultural Mechanisation for In-situ Management of Crop Residue in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi to promote sustainable practices. These programs offer financial assistance, including a 50% subsidy on crop residue management (CRM) machines, and establish Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) to provide small farmers access to necessary equipment. With a centrally sponsored scheme allocating ₹600 crore, of which ₹275 crore has already been disbursed, efforts focus on both in-situ and ex-situ solutions, as well as the introduction of bio-decomposer technologies for in-field residue decomposition.
In line with these efforts, state-level initiatives have also been rolled out. Punjab aims to manage 11.5 million tonnes of paddy straw through in-situ methods, while Haryana targets 3.3 million tonnes. Both states have rolled out extensive deployments of CRM machines—over 150,000 in Punjab and nearly 91,000 in Haryana—along with thousands of CHCs. Additionally, both states are promoting the co-firing of paddy straw in thermal plants, processing around two million tonnes across 11 plants in the NCR, and converting agricultural waste into energy. Haryana has also introduced financial incentives, such as ₹1,000 per acre for baling crop residue and ₹7,000 per acre for crop diversification under the Mera Pani Meri Virasat initiative, to support sustainable farming practices and reduce stubble burning.
Why Farmers Struggle to Move Away from Burning
Despite some progress in reducing stubble burning—with reductions of 35% and 21% in Punjab and Haryana, respectively, compared to last year—challenges persist in fully eliminating the practice.
One of the main hurdles is the underutilization of in-situ CRM machines. While these machines are seemingly available in sufficient numbers, they have not been used to their full potential. Factors such as low uptake of rental machines from CHCs, delays in accessing equipment, and limited awareness of standard operating procedures have all contributed to this issue. Many machines, issued years ago, have fallen into disrepair and are no longer operational. Consequently, some farmers, seeking to cut costs or manage pest control, revert to partial stubble burning while using in-situ machines in tandem.
The Pusa Decomposer, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), is another in-situ solution designed to accelerate stubble decomposition. However, its adoption has been slow, primarily due to inadequate awareness and scepticism about its effectiveness. Even though Punjab has deployed over 8,000 officers to assist farmers with residue management, compliance remains uneven, with some farmers defying guidelines. This reveals significant gaps in enforcement and underscores the need for stronger community engagement. Financial incentives to adopt these practices are also insufficient, and without tangible economic benefits or a market for crop residues, many farmers continue to find burning a more cost-effective option. Additionally, misconceptions about the impact of in-situ machines on wheat yields and pest attraction persist, further deterring adoption.
Ex-situ stubble management, which involves collecting and transporting residue to processing facilities, faces a separate set of challenges. Issues such as scalability, supply chain constraints, and the availability of stubble year-round limit the full integration of these practices. The lack of a robust market connecting agricultural stubble producers to end users hampers the potential for these residues to be utilized as biomass or for other purposes. Ex-situ solutions struggle to gain traction without a solid demand for processed residue.
A Burning Need
To effectively curb stubble burning, a multifaceted approach that includes both in-situ and ex-situ management, alongside broader agricultural reforms, is essential. Stubble burning is not merely a seasonal pollution issue but a structural challenge that requires a coordinated and proactive policy response. Each year, despite multiple policy directives and interventions, the issue resurfaces, highlighting the limitations of a reactive approach. States must take this as an opportunity to implement long-term solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability and economic resilience for farmers.
Developing a robust infrastructure for ex-situ crop residue management is critical. States should prioritize establishing facilities such as 2G Ethanol plants, Compressed Biogas plants, and biomass cogeneration, pelleting, and briquette plants. These initiatives manage paddy straw effectively and create income opportunities for farmers by converting residue into valuable resources. Another essential strategy is promoting crop diversification to reduce dependency on paddy, which contributes to the large volume of stubble. Encouraging farmers to adopt alternative crops suitable to local conditions could decrease the residue volumes generated while diversifying revenue streams for farmers. Crop diversification, supported through incentives and awareness campaigns, can also reduce the ecological footprint of farming in these regions.
Effective stubble management should be part of a larger strategy to support agricultural sustainability, environmental health, and economic development—not merely a temporary fix for pollution.
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