‘Getting rid of stubble takes time, money, so farmers set the field on fire: Head of EPCA Bhure Lal

Pollution is bound to increase with the approach of winter. The low wind speed, low temperature and high humidity make it the worst time for air quality in this part of the country. The only thing we can do is restrict the sources of pollution. So far this year, we have been safe from smog. If we maintain this till November 20 at least, it will be good news. But agricultural burning has already started. We were out on the field on October 7 and 8 and saw several fields on fire. We have already spoken to the Punjab and Haryana governments about it.

Watch What Else Is Making News

Why does crop-stubble burning remain a persistent practice?

It is all about time, money and ease. The paddy crop is harvested in October and the wheat crop (Rabi crop) is to be planted in November-end. Farmers want to prepare for this but getting rid of the stubble takes more time than it would if they were to just set fire to the whole field. Uprooting the stubble, cutting, burying and watering it takes two days. It then takes 45 days to turn into manure. The element of time is crucial for farmer as the plantation for the next crop is due. Also, this process costs a farmer Rs 500-700 per acre per day. No one wants to spend so much time and money on it. The older generation, especially, wants to set fire to the whole thing and be done with it.

Are there any viable solutions to end the practice?

In Punjab, farmers are sending off the stubble to waste-to-energy plants. That is a good model but forms only a small percentage of the entire bulk of waste. Punjab and Haryana together produce around 32 million tonnes of stubble and straw. Of this, only 1.5 million is going into energy generation and only from Punjab.

If more of this stubble can be utilised this way, it will help the farmer as well as the government. Another solution is to find a way to reduce the time taken for agricultural stubble to decompose and get converted into manure. As of now, it takes 45 days for the process to complete. If it is completed within 25 days, the farmers will have an incentive. The Punjab Agricultural university is working on the project already.

The governments need a combination of incentives and prosecution. Give incentives to farmers who use green methods and penalise the ones who don’t. Haryana is already following this approach. They are penalising people for burning and have already collected Rs 8 lakh in fines. A lot more needs to be done. We are getting daily reports from both Haryana and Punjab. The latter is lagging behind a little.

There is a myth that burning agricultural stubble will increase productivity of soil. It only adds carbon and decreases productivity. The younger farmers are more open to change. The older ones resist.