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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

21/11/23 11:29 AM IST

Problem of Stubble burning

In News
  • Stubble (parali) burning is a method of removing paddy crop residues from the field to sow wheat from the last week of September to November.
  • Stubble burning is a process of setting on fire the straw stubble, left after the harvesting of grains, like paddy, wheat, etc.
Paddy Straw
  • Paddy straw has high silica content and is not preferred as animal feed.
  • If ploughed back into the field, it interferes with subsequent crop operations.
  • Only some farmers use farm machines like happy seeder and straw management machines to incorporate the stubble back into the soil instead of setting it on fire.
  • An alternative crop like maize will also produce large amounts of stubble like paddy, and only a small part of that will have demand as dry fodder.
  • Early maturing varieties of paddy will surely give farmers a longer period to dispose of straw but in large areas where paddy matures early, farmers either grow crops like potatoes or continue to burn straw. Only in a small area do farmers go for in-situ incorporation.
Solutions
  • One, rethinking the policy of providing free power.
  • This is also needed to avert the over-exploitation of groundwater. However, a simple shift to a metered supply of power will not be acceptable without compensating farmers’ income for the cost of power.
  • One possibility is to give a direct cash/benefit transfer (DBT) instead of a power subsidy.
  • By indexing the DBT amount to inflation in power tariffs, this amount can grow annually and remain relevant for farmers. This will make diversification away from paddy feasible.
  • Two, create a market for paddy straw/stubble.
  • Unless stubble is made valuable for farmers, they will continue to burn it. We need to create an effective market for stubble that at least compensates them for the extra effort and cost involved in its harvest, collection and disposal.
  • Punjab generates about 20 million metric tonnes (MMTs) and Haryana has about half of this.
  • About 85 per cent of it is burnt in the field. Thus, the total cost of procuring the entire parali burnt in the field in Punjab comes to Rs 2,000 crore and, in Haryana, about Rs 1,000 crore.
  • A small market for paddy straw sold in compact bales has already emerged in both the states for production of biofuel such as BioCNG and ethanol and as direct fuel in brick kilns, furnaces, and thermal plants.
  • Some enterprising farmers have sold parali at Rs 180 per quintal this season — this can be treated as an indicative market value. This market is picking up but at its current pace, it will take many years to match the supply.
Way Forward
  • Ways and means need to be put in place for adequate availability of balers and incentives introduced for the use of stubble as a biofuel.
  • Among various options, the use of straw for the production of compressed biogas through methods of anaerobic digestion is best from economic and environmental perspectives.
  • It also produces bio-slurry, which can go back into the soil to replenish soil fertility.
  • It is a matter of supporting the supply chains of paddy straw initially for four to five years.
  • This will set the trend for converting agri waste into wealth and promoting a circular economy in agriculture in the entire country.
  • Once an effective channel for procuring paddy straw is created, a law against the burning of any crop straw should be strictly enforced.
  • With market avenues for crop residue, legal backing against polluting practices and administrative support, the proposed system can work to prevent stubble burning while saving the health of millions of lives and contributing to the economy.
Source- Indian Express

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