Stubble Burning: A Ground Reality Check

I was crossing Haryana when my eyes caught the paddy crops—it was harvest time for some farmers. For others, it would take another 5 to 6 days before they could harvest. I was in the car with a few relatives from Haryana, and curiosity got the better of me. I turned to them and asked, "What do you guys do with the remaining rice straw, the stubble?"

One of them replied casually, "We use it as fodder for our cattle, and whatever is left, we simply burn it."

"Okay," I said, pausing for a moment. Then I asked, "Why don't you cut the straw into little pieces with a thresher and let it decompose? You'd likely get better soil fertility for the next crop."

He shook his head. "We can't do that because it takes 1 to 3 months for the stubble to decompose. We can't wait that long for the next crop. We have to sow wheat seeds by the end of October, otherwise the yield will be delayed or even ruined. So burning the leftover stubble is the only solution we're left with."

I pressed further. "Are you aware of how much water, air, and soil contamination this burning causes?"

They shrugged. "Industries do it more, and no one talks about them."

I chose to stay silent after that and started observing again.

That conversation stayed with me, so I began researching what IARI and ICAR have done in this regard. I found that IARI developed a bio-enzyme called PUSA Decomposer that can decompose stubble in just 20 to 25 days. ICAR has also built machines like the Happy Seeder and Super Seeder, along with developing a rice variety called PUSA-2090 that takes only 130 to 135 days to harvest instead of the usual 160 to 165 days. This gives farmers an extra month to use decomposition methods rather than burning stubble.​

Impacts of Burning Parali

Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Burning crop residue releases massive quantities of pollutants into the atmosphere—notably particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). These emissions contribute extensively to regional air pollution and smog, especially in north India, causing poor visibility and severe respiratory illnesses in humans and animals.​

Studies estimate that crop residue burning releases approximately 149.24 million tonnes of CO₂, over 9 million tonnes of CO, 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter, and 0.25 million tonnes of sulphur oxides. About 70% of the carbon in rice straw is released as CO₂, 7% as CO, and 0.66% as CH₄, while 2.09% of nitrogen is emitted as N₂O. Parali fires can form thick smoke clouds that travel for hundreds of kilometers, exacerbating air quality issues in cities like Delhi and beyond.​

Soil Fertility Depletion

Contrary to some beliefs, burning stubble severely depletes soil fertility. Essential nutrients contained in crop residues—such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur—are lost to the atmosphere. Approximately one tonne of rice straw contains 5.5 kg of nitrogen, 2.3 kg of phosphorus, 25 kg of potassium, 1.2 kg of sulfur, and organic carbon. When burned, about 90% of nitrogen, 50% of sulfur, 25% of phosphorus, and 20% of potassium are released as gases and particulates.​

The intense heat damages soil structure, destroys beneficial microbial life, and reduces moisture content. Burning raises soil temperature to 33.8 to 42.2 degrees Celsius up to one centimeter depth, killing natural nutrients and microbes that aid in soil renewal. Over time, the soil becomes less productive, making crops more susceptible to disease and pests while increasing the need for chemical fertilizers.​

Water Contamination

Residue ash and associated pollutants can leach into surface and groundwater bodies, raising the concentration of harmful chemicals and particulates. This not only endangers aquatic ecosystems but also jeopardizes the quality of drinking water and irrigation supplies, paving the way for broader health risks and ecological degradation.​

Health Hazards

Prolonged exposure to stubble smoke is linked to spikes in respiratory illnesses, allergies, eye irritation, and increased risk of cancer due to carcinogenic particles. Short-term exposure during stubble-burning months shows an estimated attributable proportion of 18.06% for respiratory health impacts, with approximately 46,278 estimated cases.​

Long-term exposure significantly impacts mortality rates due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke in adults, and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in children. Vulnerable groups—elderly, children, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions—face heightened risks during peak burning seasons.​

Government Steps to Eradicate Parali Burning

Policy Actions & Enforcement

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has mandated "zero stubble burning" and directed Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to set up Parali Protection Forces: local teams combining police, agricultural, and civic authorities to monitor and prevent burning incidents, especially during evening hours.​

Strict punitive measures have been introduced. Farmers caught burning residue face steep fines—₹5,000 per incident for farms under two acres, ₹10,000 for two to five acres, and ₹30,000 for farms exceeding five acres. They also face FIR registrations, red entries in land records, and restrictions on selling their produce under the MSP scheme for the next two seasons.​

Technological & Infrastructural Support

The government provides subsidized or free rental access to stubble management machinery—such as Happy Seeder, Super Seeder, and straw balers—through Custom Hiring Centres, especially for small and marginal farmers. As of February 2025, more than 41,900 Custom Hiring Centres have been established, and over 3.23 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied.​

Satellite and drone monitoring systems help track and verify active fire spots, enabling real-time interventions.​

Incentive Schemes

Financial incentives of up to ₹1,200 per acre are provided for farmers who adopt residue management practices and avoid burning. The government also promotes crop residue collection, storage, and use in bioenergy, biogas, and industrial co-firing plants, in partnership with supply chain stakeholders.​

Agronomic Innovations

IARI's PUSA Bio-Decomposer, a microbial solution, enables rapid stubble decomposition in 20–25 days and is being widely deployed by state governments. The solution is prepared using four capsules containing seven fungal strains, which cost approximately ₹20 per pack. When mixed with jaggery, gram flour, and water over several days, it produces 500 liters of solution—sufficient for one hectare.​

Breeding and dissemination of new, early-maturing paddy varieties such as PUSA-2090 give farmers more time to manage stubble between crops without risk to the next sowing season. Pusa-2090 matures in 120-125 days compared to the 155-160 days required by Pusa-44, providing farmers with an additional 30-35 days for field preparation. It maintains comparable yields of 34-35 quintals per acre and requires 5-6 fewer irrigations, resulting in significant water savings.​

Crop diversification and promotion of alternatives to water-intensive paddy in susceptible regions are also being encouraged.​

Ground Reality

Despite all these initiatives, farmers are still ready to burn the rice straw stubble. They simply said there is no other option left for them. "We have to burn it because we want our fields ready for the next crop—wheat—in a week so that harvesting will be done at the proper time," one farmer explained. "When we burn parali, the land is wet, so the soil temperature doesn't go too high. We can even walk on the ashes just 10 minutes after burning. So we have to burn parali."

Another farmer added, "We can't wait for the subsidies—they take too long and require too much effort. The simplest way is to burn it. It burns quickly."

Conclusion

To eradicate stubble burning, more than enforcement and incentives are needed—farmer education is key. Awareness programs and hands-on training can help farmers adopt new solutions like bio-decomposers, advanced machinery, and early-maturing crops.

If parali burning continues, future generations will suffer. Air pollution will cause chronic illnesses, soils will lose fertility, and water bodies will be polluted, endangering both ecosystems and public health. This practice also accelerates greenhouse gas emissions, worsening climate change and threatening biodiversity.​

Real change demands innovation, education, and cooperation across government, industry, and farming communities, ensuring cleaner air, healthier soils, and a better legacy for all.