In the ongoing paddy harvesting season, from September 15th, 2023 to October 29th, 2023, the states of Haryana, Punjab, and the National Capital Region (NCR) have witnessed a remarkable reduction in stubble burning incidents. The data indicates that efforts from various stakeholders, frequent reviews, and daily monitoring have played a pivotal role in curbing this environmentally harmful practice over the last two years.
Punjab, one of the states notorious for stubble burning, has reported a considerable decline in such incidents. During the 45-day period in 2023, the total number of stubble burning cases in Punjab stands at 5,254, as opposed to 12,112 in 2022 and 9,001 in 2021. This represents a 56.6% and 41.6% decrease, respectively, compared to the previous two years.
The peak day for stubble burning in Punjab this year was October 29th, with 1,068 incidents, significantly lower than the 2,067 reported on October 28th, 2022, and 1,353 on October 29th, 2021. The five districts in Punjab with the highest stubble burning incidents in 2023 are Amritsar (1,060), Tarn Taran (646), Patiala (614), Sangrur (564), and Firozpur (517).
In Haryana, the situation mirrors the positive trend seen in Punjab. During the same 45-day period, Haryana recorded 1,094 stubble burning incidents, down from 1,813 in 2022 and 2,413 in 2021. This represents a decrease of 39.7% and 54.7%, respectively. The highest single-day count of fires in Haryana during this year was on October 15th, with 127 incidents, compared to 250 on October 24th, 2022, and 363 on October 15th, 2021. The top five districts in Haryana for stubble burning incidents in 2023 are Fatehabad (180), Kaithal (151), Ambala (147), Jind (132), and Kurukshetra (120).
To combat the issue of stubble burning, the Central Government has allocated approximately Rs. 3,333 crore under the Crop Residue Management Scheme to the states of Punjab, NCR, and Delhi. These funds are directed towards subsidizing the procurement of machinery by individual farmers, custom hiring centers, and cooperatives, both for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy straw.
As of now, Punjab has 1,17,672 Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines, Haryana has 80,071, and Uttar Pradesh-NCR has 7,986. Additionally, steps are being taken to procure an additional 23,000 CRM machines in Punjab, 7,572 in Haryana, and 595 in Uttar Pradesh for NCR, enhancing the availability of such machines during the current harvesting season.
While there has been a substantial reduction in stubble burning incidents compared to previous years, a recent spike in such cases in Punjab has raised concerns. The State Governments of Punjab and Haryana have been urged to mobilize their administrative machinery to enforce preventive and corrective measures, ensuring that the progress made so far is sustained during the upcoming weeks of intense harvesting.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) is closely monitoring the situation, reviewing the implementation of action plans, and working with the concerned state governments on a daily basis.
