Issue of Stubble Burning 

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment & Degradation

In News

• The Supreme Court criticized Haryana and Punjab for not taking strict action against stubble burning, which worsens air pollution in northern India. 

What is Stubble Burning?

• Stubble burning is a practice where farmers burn the leftover straw from harvested paddy fields to prepare the land for sowing wheat. It is common due to the limited time between paddy harvest and wheat planting.

Why Farmers opted for  Stubble Burning?

• Quick and cost-efficient: It clears the field rapidly and is the least expensive option for farmers.
• Weed and pest control: Burning helps in eliminating weeds, slugs, and pests that could damage the next crop.
• Reduces nitrogen tie-up: Burning can help control nitrogen immobilization, improving soil nitrogen availability.

Negative Effects of Stubble Burning

• Air pollution: Stubble burning emits harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), contributing to poor air quality and smog formation, particularly in northern India.
• Soil degradation: The intense heat from burning depletes soil nutrients, reduces soil fertility, and kills beneficial microbes, compromising long-term soil health.
• Climate change: The release of large quantities of greenhouse gases worsens air quality and contributes to global warming.

Alternatives to Stubble Burning

• Paddy straw-based power plants: Utilizes crop waste for energy and creates jobs.
• Incorporating crop residues: Incorporating them into the soil enhances soil fertility, boosts productivity, and replenishes essential nutrients.
• Composting: Turns residues into organic manure.

Initiatives to Prevent Stubble Burning

• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): The GRAP is an emergency response mechanism developed to combat rising air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. It is implemented in a phased manner based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) levels.
• Financial Incentives and Penalties: The Supreme Court has suggested providing incentives to farmers who refrain from stubble burning and imposing fines or reducing Minimum Support Price (MSP) benefits for those who continue the practice.
• Chhattisgarh’s Gauthan Model: In Chhattisgarh, unused stubble is collected and converted into organic fertilizer in community plots called gauthans. This method not only reduces pollution but also generates employment.

Source: TH