Burning of Crop Stubbles: Effects on the environment and its solution

Burning of crop stubbles in the fields of Punjab and Haryana has once again raised eyebrows. The farmers burning 'Parali' (crop stubble) are in the spotlight - not for good reasons, of course. The air of Delhi is getting polluted, concerns are being expressed.

Stubbles ('Parali') are the remains of the plants left after harvesting paddy and/or wheat. As this bio-mass is useless for them, farmers use to burn it in fields finding it a convenient means of its disposal. Farmers have had their reasoning for burning the stubbles as well apart from cost considerations. It was viewed that the smoke emitted by burning the stubbles caused to kill vectors of diseases and resultant ash fertilize the fields as it contains a good amount of potash.

The stubbles are burned in the months of October-November when the paddy is harvested and the fields are to be prepared for the next crop. Farmers, having a small interval between the two crops to prepare their fields for the next 'Rabi' crop, burn the stubbles in the field. The practice was usual till 1990 when governments started banning this practice. The condensing atmospheric moisture in falling temperatures of the dawning winter gives a proper platform to settle Suspended Particulate Matters (SPM). It is the time when 'Smog' enshrouds the atmosphere. 

As per a study, published by Stringer in 2015, stubble burning produces large quantities of harmful gases and SPM. Besides gases like Nitrous Oxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Sulphur dioxide, Carbon dioxide and ash which are produced, several valuable nutrients like Potassium, Phosphorus, Sulphur and Nitrogen are also lost, the study says. The largest quantity of the gas produced is Carbon dioxide (1460 Kg per ton of stubble burning), chiefly responsible for the 'Green House' effect. The fire also destroys the friendly animal life-forms such as earthworms which contribute significantly in the soil health and its rejuvenation process as well. 

The stubble burning and smog consternate Delhites. Poor quality of air is a health hazard. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi which generally remains at 101-200 between January to September, drastically shoots dangerously up to well above 300 in three months between October and December. National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its judgement, banning the stubble burning activity, mandated to penalize the defaulters by fine varying from Rs 2500 to 15000 per stubble burning according to the landholding size of the farmer. However, the order remained a mere paper tiger. In the absence of willpower and lackadaisical approach of the implementing agencies, the order continued to exist unimplemented. Stubble burning persists unabated; the AQI spikes well above 300 this year. 

Albeit the farmers are sensitive towards the adverse effects of stubble burning on the environment, due to the high cost of its disposal in an environmentally friendly way, they find it convenient to burn it. The stubbles, before disposing of properly, have to be completely rooted out manually since doing it with machines is not in currency. Being intensively labour oriented, it costs around Rs 5000 to 6000 per acre. The gravitated additional burden for stubble disposal is a great impediment for it drains the farmers, already reeling under the pressure of increased input cost. 

M.S. Swaminathan in his report recommended that "MSP should be at least 50% more than the average cost of production". The government, though have increased the MSP of certain crops to help the farmers but a lot more remains to be done. Increased input cost pressurizes the economy. Adding the cost of stubble disposal to the input cost (seed, manure, fertilizers, irrigation and other plus the labour cost) raises the overall production cost causing the spiralling of the sale price. This may jeopardize agricultural growth and food production.

The picture of air quality in Delhi is harrowing but is stubble burning the only cause of Delhi's poor air quality? It needs an answer. An estimated 20-25 crore vehicles are on the roads in the country. According to Delhi's Economic Survey 2018-19, the number of vehicles per thousand population has increased from 317 to whooping 598 during 2017-18. The increasing number of vehicles vomit more vehicular emission, add more harmful gases and cause the air quality of Delhi to become poor. A study conducted in October 2018 by the Ministry of Earth Science has revealed that 41% of pollution is due to vehicular emissions. Apart from this, Industries and thermal power plants also add significantly to the problem. Badarpur thermal power plant of Delhi which contributed only 8% to the electricity supply in Delhi emitted 70-80% of smoke and ash in the atmosphere. In November 2017 when Delhi witnessed great smog and the pollution level had spiked far beyond the acceptable level, it had to be temporarily closed down. It is good that the power plant has now been permanently shut down. 

The mechanized farming is the order of the day. The improved technology can help cope with the problem of stubble disposal. 

Though the pollution due to stubble burning is less and phasic in comparison to the permanent factors responsible for the poor air quality of Delhi, it needs to be addressed. Motivated farmers shall happily use the technology if they are within their reach. The product subsidy and timely government assistance are the impediment busters. The steps to incentivise and encourage electric vehicles are good for the atmosphere and curbing vehicular pollution. The emission norms for the vehicles have also been revised. From April 1st 2020 the production and sale of BS-IV vehicles are going to be stopped. The new norm is BS-VI. Additionally, the electric vehicles are expected to replace the Internal Combustion Engine driven vehicles. New technology and innovative ideas shall prove to be game-changer. Rich in micronutrients and copious cellulose the stubbles which are being converted into pellets can help meet the energy requirements at the local level. R&D to increase their energy efficiency and smokeless burning shall add values to them. The exploration of the commercial viability of stubbles as a source of biofuel may add the extra income of farmers and eradicate the menace of stubble burning. 

Depleting Environment: Causes and Cure

Speaking in Climatic Action Summit 2019 Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi laid stress on the clean environment and said "Need not greed" has been our guiding principle. We used to take only the required and replenish it thereafter. It should be the motto of all of us to have the environment clean and healthy.

Recently, scientific research has shown that the increase in global temperature is on a steep rise without a sign of reaching capstone.  An increase in the temperature by up to 03 degrees Celcius has been recorded in the winter of the Arctic region. The impact of a depleting environment and increasing temperature is seen in rising sea levels, dying coral reefs, heatwave conditions, drought and irregular monsoons. It not only causes hardships but causes an irreparable loss to the ecosystems and its components as well. It is a great cause of concern. To discuss the threat and suggest the means to contain the rising temperature resulting from the depleting environment the United Nations called for a summit wherein the participating countries were requested to come up with the idea to mitigate the environmental loss and steps taken by them in this regard.

"I want to hear about how we are going to stop the increase in emissions by 2020, and dramatically reduce emissions to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century", UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to the world leaders. Among all senior luminaries, a 16-year-old girl from Sweden Greta Thunberg also spoke on the occasion. Speaking from this platform, Greta  - an environmental crusader - expressed her anguish on the pathetic condition of the environment. Admonishing the world leaders she puts her bonafide question, "How dare you?"

World leaders met in Kyoto to discuss the dismal scenario of the environment. The Kyoto Protocol came to existence wherein despite being the party to the Protocol, the developing nations were not mandated to bring down the emission level. Later in 2015, a comprehensive and legally binding Paris Agreement was adopted. About 200 nations reached a consensus to keep the global temperature 'Well below' 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. This agreement laid down certain norms to mitigate environmental degradation and rising temperatures. It mandated the rich countries for 'Climate finance' to the poorer nations to help them cope with the situation. Later, on June 01, 2017, U.S. President Mr Donald Trump announced to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. "The Paris accord is very unfair at the highest level to the United States" and "puts us at a permanent disadvantage", Mr Trump had said. This gave a setback to the cause as it made a lopsided balance.

A developed and conscious society guarantees its members decent living and surroundings. It is incumbent upon the government to provide roads, hospitals, schools, housing and food to the people. To fulfil these basics, energy is needed. The increasing energy consumption demands more powerhouses, dams, mines, and automobiles to run and contribute to building a developed society. This puts extra pressure on natural resources. Fast-decreasing forest covers, indiscriminate industrialization, and heavy dependency on fossil fuels for energy requirements are constantly pumping obnoxious materials into the air, water and soil causing them to be polluted heavily. The old and obsolete methods of agriculture, burning of stubbles, and archaic methods of cooking compound the vicious cycle and add poisonous gases to the environment. Humanity is gasping for fresh and clean air, water and the environment. 

The Single-use plastic and polyethene bags add more poison to the environment. Virtually non-destructible, the polytene remains intact in the soil for a very long period making the soil unproductive and barren. Taking cognizance of the yawning problem, recently the government has banned single-use plastic and polythene. Though certain plastic products like PET bottles for water packaging, and polythene packaging for milk and food packaging have been temporarily exempted from the ban, the ban will positively affect controlling the plastic menace. Conventional cooking methods are being gradually replaced by clean cooking gas or electricity. About 150 million families are now using clean gas for cooking.

A clean mode of transportation is the prerequisite for a clean atmosphere. The use of fossil fuels adds poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide in addition to carbon and sulphur. The use of fossil fuels is being lowered and comparatively clean and less harmful biofuels are being used now in a mixture with conventional fuel. Besides, e-vehicles are being promoted. These steps would help in diluting the obnoxious gases in the atmosphere.

One of the important aspects is the carbon footprint which is on the increase. To curb its further growth, the process of biotic carbon sequestration is an important step. Development and revival of carbon sinks is the need of time.  Indiscriminate clearing of forests and the erection of dams cause havoc. Perrenial floods are the outcome of such planning. It has been seen in the past that the dams have caused heavy damage to life and property. The wreckage of Macchu dam, Gujrat in 1979  has had deep scars, difficult to heal. Similarly, the spectre of Dansa Dam, Delhi gives sleepless nights to the residents of its vicinity. 

"The time of talking is over. The world needs to act now" Modi said while concluding his speech. Emphasising that much is yet to be done he very rightly said that a comprehensive and inclusive developmental model should be adopted, people need to be educated and sensitized. Thus with the right step in the right direction and sincere efforts, the goal of a healthy environment would be achieved which our children have the right to get.