Rain delays stubble burning in Punjab as experts grope for solutions

Chandigarh, Oct 22 Burning of crop residue, a customary practice by Punjab and Haryana paddy growers that leads to an estimated economic loss of over $30 billion annually, besides being a leading risk factor for acute respiratory infection, especially among children, has picked up after a delay owing to high crop moisture.

As per the Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, 96 active fire incidents were reported in Punjab on October 20, a steep fall from 950 on this day in 2020 and 788 in 2021. A total of 2,721 incidents have been reported in Punjab till October 20.

The reason for fewer crop fire incidents is widespread rainfall in the past week that delayed the crop maturity and its harvesting owing to increased moisture.

Smoke from the burning of residue in Punjab and Haryana contributes to Delhi's poor air, increasing three-fold the risk of acute respiratory infection for those living in districts with intense crop burning.

Nine out of 22 districts in Punjab and four out of 22 districts in Haryana are major contributors to stubble burning in these states.

Gurmit Gill, a farmer of Ludhiana, told , "Two spells of heavy rainfall in the last one month has delayed the maturing of the crop. The harvest has been delayed by at least 10-15 days as the crop moisture content was as high as 25 per cent. Now it is normal. Farmers in our area have just started harvesting."

According to experts, the delay in the onset of harvesting means farmers have no option to dispose off the crop residue scientifically and lack of markets for biomass residues. They have to burn it in the fields as they plant several crops during the year.

Normally, the paddy harvest should be over by October 25 and subsequently wheat cultivation is to begin.

Agriculture department officials expect a peak of 2,000-4,000 farm fires a day by the end of this month in Punjab. A total of 2,721 fire incidents were reported in the state till October 20.

The state government has devised scientific mechanisms to curb the menace by optimising the use of machines for in-situ management of stubble and establishing compressed bio gas

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