The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) recently highlighted the issue of premature crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana. This alarming practice is not only harmful to the environment, but also has a significant impact on air quality, causing potential health concerns for residents in these regions.
Key Findings of EPCA and SAFAR
According to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), a central government institution using INSAT-3, 3D and NASA satellite data, fire counts have escalated from zero to 42 within just a few days. It’s worth noting that in 2019, around 9.8 million tonnes out of an estimated 20 million tonnes of total crop residue were burned in Punjab. Similarly, Haryana saw the burning of 1.24 million tonnes of stubble out of the total 7 million tonnes.
About EPCA
The EPCA was established under section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the National Capital Region as per a Supreme Court order dated January 1998. Empowered to take action based on complaints or suo-moto, the EPCA ensures the control of vehicular pollution, adherence to fuel quality standards, and coordination of traffic planning and management.
Role of INSAT
The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is a constellation of operational communication satellites situated in Geo-stationary orbit. Since its inception in 1983 with the commissioning of INSAT-1B, the INSAT system now includes several operational satellites.
Function of SAFAR
SAFAR, an initiative by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), measures the air quality of metropolitan cities by assessing overall pollution levels and location-specific air quality. It was developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and is currently operated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Stubble Burning: An Age-Old Tradition, its Causes and Effects
Stubble burning is a traditional practice in Punjab and Haryana used to clear the rice chaff and prepare fields for winter sowing. It typically begins in October and peaks in November, aligning with the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon. This practice results in harmful pollutants and particulate matter entering the air, worsening the winter air quality in Delhi and nearby areas.
Several reasons contribute to this practice such as increased rice acreage due to subsidies and assured procurement, delayed sowing of paddy due to the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act 2009, modern farm mechanisation leaving large quantities of rice stubble behind and high silica content rendering rice straw useless as fodder.
The process of stubble burning releases toxic pollutants into the atmosphere such as methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Additionally, it reduces soil fertility and kills useful microbes while also reducing soil moisture levels.
Moving Forward: Solutions for Stubble Burning
Potential solutions to reduce stubble burning include the setting up of a centralized control room to issue guidance and enforce compliance. Establishing Farm Machinery Banks (FMB) for custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery could also assist in tackling this issue.
Among various technologies, the Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) machine is particularly efficient. It not only removes stubble but can also sow wheat seeds into the cleared soil. The excess straw is then spread over the sown seeds forming a protective mulch cover.
Eliminating stubble burning would support the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aiming to reduce pollution levels by 20-30% by 2024. More comprehensive schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) could also be expanded to assist in harvesting and composting of stubble.
For a long-term solution, shifting the cropping pattern from paddy to alternate crops like maize, cotton, fruits or vegetables in Punjab, Haryana and UP is vital. This shift would not only reduce the stubble burning practice but also provide a diversified agricultural landscape.
