Syllabus
GS Paper 3 – Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Context
Supreme Court recently questioned the Punjab government as to why they couldn’t cover the expenses of crop residue management machines for small-scale farmers.
Stubble burning:
- Stubble burning, also known as parali burning, is a technique used to remove paddy crop residues from fields in preparation for wheat sowing.
- This practice is typically carried out from the last week of September to November.
- It is especially necessary in areas where combined harvesting methods are used, as these methods leave behind crop residue.
- The main purpose of stubble burning is to prepare the land for the next round of cultivation.
- This practice is most prevalent in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where it is used to clear fields for the sowing of rabi crops.
- Stubble burning is highly prevalent in these areas, with rice being the primary crop in Punjab and Haryana, and wheat in Uttar Pradesh.
Why is stubble burning practiced?
- Limited Duration
- Multiple cropping and shortened intervals between crops leave a very short window of about 10–15 days for field preparation for the next crop.
- There is a brief period available between rice harvesting and wheat sowing, as any delay in sowing wheat can affect the wheat crop.
- Cost-Effective: Stubble burning is considered one of the most affordable methods to clean the field after the harvest season.
- Labour Shortage: The use of costly labour for stubble extraction is not practical, particularly in Punjab and Haryana where farm sizes are large.
- Complete Stubble Clearance: Mechanized harvesters leave a stubble of 10–30 cm in the field, depending on the type of crop, which was not the case with manual harvesting.
- Low Crop Residue Value: The low commercial and economic value of crop residue, along with the high costs of processing, diminishes its value for farmers.
Remarks by the Supreme Court on Stubble Burning
- The Supreme Court questioned the Punjab government about why it couldn’t cover the costs of crop residue management machines for small-scale farmers.
- Punjab responded by stating that providing manpower and fuel for the machines was a challenge.
- The court expressed concern that paddy cultivation could lower the water table in Punjab.
- The court suggested considering other crops instead of paddy to conserve water and reduce pollution.
Impacts of Stubble Burning:
- Air Pollution
- Stubble burning releases toxic pollutants into the air, including harmful gases like carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds (VOC).
- The burning of agricultural residue significantly contributes to air pollution in certain regions of northern India.
- Soil Fertility: The soil becomes less fertile and its nutrients are destroyed when the husk is burnt on the ground.
- Heat Penetration: Stubble burning generates heat that penetrates into the soil, leading to increased erosion, loss of useful microbes, and moisture.
- Climate Change: The release of toxic gases from stubble burning contributes to global warming, further exacerbating climate change.
- Uncontrolled Fires: There is a risk of fires spreading out of control, potentially turning into a large pit of flames.
Strategies to Reduce Stubble Burning:
- Promotion of Agricultural Implements
- Punjab has introduced schemes to provide subsidies for mechanical tools that can mix crop residue with soil to enhance fertility.
- Co-ownership models for these agricultural tools should be promoted to make them accessible to farmers.
- Awareness Building: Farmers need to be educated about the value of crop residues and the use of agricultural tools in extraction and packaging.
- Power Generation: State governments should incentivize the establishment of biomass-based power plants through fiscal interventions and prioritization, such as biomass co-firing.
- Research and Development: Institutions like Punjab Agricultural University are developing a variant of paddy straw with lower silica content, making it suitable for use in biomass-based power plants.
- Biofuel Production: State governments, with appropriate policy interventions from the Central government, need to incentivize the utilization of biofuels.
- Industrial Application: Biomass pellets can be commercially sold as the main fuel for industrial boilers to replace coal. Incentives should be provided for micro-pelletization and its local usage should be promoted.
- Crop Residue Collection Mechanism: A uniform decentralized mechanism for the collection, storage, and commercial sale of crop residue should be created.
- Chhattisgarh Model
- A ‘gauthan’ is a dedicated 5-acre plot, held in common by each village.
- Here, all the unused parali (paira in Chhattisgarhi) is collected through parali daan (people’s donations) and converted into organic fertilizer by rural youth.
Must Read: Stubble Burning
Source: Indian Express
Practice Question
“Stubble burning leads to the destruction of fodder, air pollution, respiratory diseases, and exacerbation of the greenhouse effect.” In the context of this statement, critically examine the issues related to stubble burning in India and propose a suitable course of action. (250 words)