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Introduction

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has become a major environmental and health crisis, contributing nearly 40% of Delhi’s winter PM2.5 levels (SAFAR, 2023). Despite legal bans, it continues due to structural, policy, and livelihood-related factors embedded in the region’s agricultural system.

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Socio-Economic Reasons Behind Stubble Burning

• Narrow Sowing Window Due to Policy Distortions: The Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act (2009) delayed paddy transplantation to conserve groundwater, leaving only a 10–20 day gap between paddy harvest and wheat sowing.
• High Cost of Residue Management: Mechanical removal or baling of straw is expensive.
  Eg: Rental of Happy Seeder costs ₹2,000–₹3,000 per acre, unaffordable for small farmers without sustained subsidy.
• Low Economic Value of Paddy Straw: The coarse, silica-rich stubble of non-basmati varieties is unsuitable as fodder or biofuel feedstock.
  Eg: Unlike eastern India, Punjab’s paddy straw has low cattle-feed utility, leaving no local market incentive.
• Fragmented Landholdings and Labour Shortages: With average farm sizes under 3 hectares, farmers lack economies of scale and face labour scarcity due to rural outmigration.
• Absence of Viable Procurement Mechanisms: Lack of consistent demand from paper mills or biomass plants discourages farmers from collecting residues.
  Eg: The NTPC biomass co-firing initiative (2022) remained limited due to supply chain bottlenecks.
• Social and Behavioural Factors: Burning is perceived as a quick, traditional solution. Enforcement is weak and often politically sensitive, especially during harvest season.
  Eg: Over 60,000 incidents reported in Punjab in 2023 despite fines and drone monitoring.

Integrated Strategies to Reconcile Agricultural Needs and Air Quality

• Promote Crop Diversification and MSP Reform: Incentivise pulses, maize, and oilseeds through assured procurement and crop insurance to reduce paddy area.
  Eg: Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (Haryana) compensates farmers for price difference in diversified crops.
• Mechanisation with Shared Infrastructure: Expand custom hiring centres for subsidised access to Happy Seeders, Super-Straw Management Systems, and balers.
  Eg: Under Central Crop Residue Management Scheme (2023), over 1.2 lakh machines deployed in Punjab and Haryana.
• Value-Chain Development for Biomass Use: Create a market for stubble as raw material in bioenergy, ethanol, paper, and packaging industries.
  Eg: IOCL’s Panipat bio-refinery uses 200,000 tonnes of paddy straw annually to produce ethanol.
• Agro-Ecological Scheduling and Precision Farming: Allow flexible crop calendars and promote short-duration paddy varieties to widen the sowing gap.
  Eg: Adoption of PR 126 and DRR Dhan 44 varieties reduces turnaround time by 10–12 days.
• Behavioural Change and Community Incentives: Use village-level rewards, awareness campaigns, and peer pressure to encourage zero-burning practices.
  Eg: Pusa Decomposer initiative by Delhi and Punjab governments rewarded “zero-burn” villages.

Conclusion 

Curbing stubble burning requires aligning farmer welfare with environmental sustainability through crop diversification, mechanisation support, and value-chain development for residues. A coordinated, incentive-based approach can ensure cleaner air while safeguarding agricultural livelihoods in Northern India.

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