Answer

Stubble burning is a common practice of burning crop residue, primarily after the harvest in states like Punjab and Haryana, to quickly clear the fields for the next planting season. Despite various government measures, stubble burning persists due to economic pressures, limited awareness, and lack of affordable alternatives, negatively impacting air quality and public health.

Reasons Why Stubble Burning Remains Persistent

• Economic Incentives and Lack of Alternatives: Farmers often resort to burning stubble as it is a cost-effective, quick method to clear fields before the next sowing.
  For example:  The cost of alternative techniques like mulching or composting is significantly higher than burning.
• Limited Awareness Among Farmers: Despite the government’s efforts, many farmers are not aware of the long-term environmental consequences. 
• Lack of Effective Enforcement: Although penalties for stubble burning are enforced, compliance remains low due to the challenges in monitoring and enforcement.
• Weak Technological Adoption: Despite incentives like subsidies for stubble management equipment, farmers’ access to machinery remains limited in many rural areas.
  For example: The Government of Haryana’s subsidy on Happy Seeder Machines has had limited uptake due to high operational costs.
• Ineffective Penalties: The imposition of penalties often fails to deter farmers, as the fines are seen as less burdensome compared to the benefits of burning.
  For example: Earlier the fine for stubble burning in Punjab was ₹2,500-5000 which was often considered insignificant, especially given the short-term financial gains from clearing the field quickly.

Positive Outcomes of Government Approaches

• Subsidies for Agricultural Equipment: The introduction of subsidy schemes for machines like Happy Seederand Paddy Straw Chopper has led to some success in reducing stubble burning.
  For example: In 2023-24 season , Punjab governemnt will be providing more than 24,000 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines including 5,000 surface seeders at subsidized prices.
• Increased Awareness Campaigns: Government campaigns like “Burning Crop Residue Awareness Campaign” have educated farmers about the harmful effects of stubble burning.
  For example: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) partnered with IARI to conduct regional workshops that reached over 500,000 farmers in northern India.
• Technology for Waste-to-Wealth: The adoption of technologies that convert stubble into bioenergy has gained traction.
  For example: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has implemented bio-gas plants to convert stubble into biogas and bio-CNG in rural areas, providing farmers with an alternative income.
• Collaborative Efforts with States: The Central Government’s National Clean Air Program (NCAP) has led to joint monitoring and management initiatives.
  For example: Under the NCAP, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has coordinated with state governments to implement comprehensive action plans..
• Integration of Crop Residue in Policy: The Government’s National Action Plan on Air Quality integrates crop residue burning into broader air quality management policies.
  For example: The Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue scheme, launched in 2018–19 to reduce stubble burning and air pollution in states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

Challenges in Government’s Approach

• High Costs of Alternatives: The cost of alternative stubble management methods remains prohibitively high for small-scale farmers.
  For example: Renting a stubble management machine can cost up to ₹5,000 per acre, which is unaffordable for many farmers in regions like Punjab and Haryana.
• Limited Access to Subsidized Technology: Despite the government’s efforts, many farmers still lack access to subsidized equipment. 
• Weak Institutional Support: Farmers often face delays in the implementation of schemes, and local authorities may lack the resources for proper enforcement. 
• Seasonal Nature of the Problem: Stubble burning peaks during harvest seasons and affects air quality temporarily, leading to short-term attention from policymakers.
  For example: The Delhi NCR region experiences smog mainly in October-November, as stubble burning coincides with seasonal weather patterns.
• Inadequate Monitoring and Penalties: Despite strict penalties, the lack of an integrated monitoring system means that many instances of stubble burning go unpunished. 

Sustainability and Effectiveness of Strategies

• Short-Term Solutions: The current strategies offer short-term relief but fail to address the root causes, such as the economic pressures faced by farmers.
  For example: Subsidies for Happy Seeders have reduced burning in some areas, the practice still persists in others due to unaffordable operational costs.
• Lack of Long-Term Financial Viability: The strategies involving subsidies and penalties are not financially sustainable in the long run. 
• Environmental Impact and Adaptation: The use of bio-decomposers has shown mixed results.
• Technological Gaps: Many of the government’s technological solutions, such as bioenergy conversion, are not scalable across all regions due to infrastructure challenges. 
• Ineffective Penalties: Penalties have not proven to be sustainable in reducing stubble burning. 

Way Forward

• Promote Sustainable Farming Practices: Providing comprehensive support for zero tillage farming, which avoids stubble burning by directly planting seeds into the previous crop’s residue. 
• Strengthen Technological Solutions: Scale up the deployment of advanced machinery and biodegradable solutions.
  For example: Using tractors with integrated machines for mulching and biomass conversion could be an effective solution if incentivized properly by the government.
• Improved Farmer Education: Increase investment in farmers’ education to improve their understanding of sustainable farming.
  For example; The Maharashtra Government has partnered with IIT Bombay to train farmers in low-cost, eco-friendly farming practices.
• Enhanced Policy Coordination: Strengthen collaboration between the Centre and states to implement stubble management strategies.
  For example: The National Mission on Clean Ganga has shown how effective multi-level governance can address environmental challenges, and similar models could be adopted for stubble burning.
• Adopt Market-Based Solutions: Encourage market-based solutions like carbon credits for farmers who do not burn stubble.
  

Despite multiple interventions, stubble burning remains a significant environmental challenge due to economic, technological, and awareness gaps. While the government’s efforts have shown some progress, a holistic approach, involving sustainability, technology, and policy enforcement, is crucial to addressing the issue in the long term.

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