The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recently published findings showing a significant decline in crop residue burning incidents in 2018. Compared to 2016, there has been a 41% decrease in these incidents, marking a notable improvement in farming practices. This reduction has also led to over 4500 villages in Haryana and Punjab being declared as Zero Stubble Burning Villages.
The Central Sector Scheme on Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, was identified as a contributing factor to this reduction.
Impacts of Crop Stubble Burning
Crop stubble burning has been a significant source of environmental and health problems. Along with considerable atmospheric pollution, it also causes a colossal loss in soil nutrients and physical health deterioration. For instance, burning one tonne of paddy straw releases 3 kg of particulate matter, 60 kg of carbon monoxide, 1460 kg of carbon dioxide, 199 kg of ash and 2 kg of sulphur dioxide.
This degradation of air quality adversely affects human health, leading to an increase in skin and eye diseases. Fine particles resulting from this process can also exacerbate chronic heart and lung diseases.
Addressing Air Pollution through Agricultural Mechanization
To counteract this issue, the scheme promoting agricultural mechanization for in-situ management of crop residue was launched for the period 2018-19 to 2019-20. It aims to subsidize the machinery required for this task and thereby reduce air pollution.
Components of this scheme include setting up Farm Machinery Banks for custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery, providing financial assistance to farmers for procurement of agriculture machinery and equipment, and implementing Information, Education, and Communication for awareness on in-situ crop residue management.
Informative Table on Stubble Burning
| Paddy Straw Quantity | Particulate Matter | Carbon Monoxide | Carbon Dioxide | Ash | Sulphur Dioxide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tonne | 3 kg | 60 kg | 1460 kg | 199 kg | 2 kg |
In-Situ Crop Residue Management
In-situ crop residue management is a practice wherein the harvested crop stalks or stubbles are chopped into small pieces and integrated directly into the soil. The efficiency of this process relies heavily on the quantity of the leftover residue.