Trapped in the Haze: The Farmers’ Stubble Burning Dilemma in India

This essay, based on the investigative-journalistic article “Caught in the Farm Crossfire” by Nikhil M. Babu in The Hindu (November 08, 2024), explains that even though the government knows about the health and environmental problems caused by stubble burning, it continues in India’s farming areas. This is because farmers face money problems and do not have enough support to use better, safer methods.

Trapped in the Haze

Every winter, a thick, smoky haze blankets northern India, with cities like Delhi experiencing hazardous pollution levels. This is largely due to the age-old practice of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana. Burning crop residue, or stubble, remains the quickest and cheapest way for farmers to clear fields after the paddy harvest, even though this method of clearing fields harms health, air quality, and the environment. Despite government policies and programmes aimed at curbing stubble burning, the high cost of machinery, lack of direct incentives, and limited time to prepare fields for the next crop leave farmers feeling trapped. This complex problem continues to create a recurring cycle of pollution affecting millions.

Practice of Stubble Burning

Stubble burning, the practice of setting fire to leftover plant stalks after harvesting, has long been a common method for farmers in Punjab and Haryana. For them, burning the stubble is a fast and cheap way to clear the fields before planting wheat, the next crop in their cycle. This practice requires no special equipment, making it accessible for small-scale farmers who often face economic pressures. Yet, this approach has severe consequences for air quality, health, and the environment.

Reasons Behind Stubble Burning

1. Economic Constraints and Lack of Affordable Alternatives: Small farmers face financial pressures that make sustainable options for crop residue management difficult. Expensive machines like balers and super-seeders are essential to managing crop residue without burning, but their cost is prohibitive for most small-scale farmers​. Government subsidies aimed at promoting these machines have not been effective or accessible enough to address the scale of the problem. As a result, many farmers revert to the cheaper and faster method of burning.
2. Shrinking Cultivation Window: With the enactment of the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act in 2009, the government aimed to conserve water by delaying paddy planting until mid-June. However, this law also reduced the timeframe between paddy harvest and wheat sowing, making it even harder for farmers to adopt alternative residue management methods. This shrinking window pressures farmers to burn stubble quickly so they can move on to wheat planting​.
3. Lack of Direct Incentives and Financial Support: Despite the potential of direct financial incentives to discourage stubble burning, the Central government has not yet implemented a robust programme to support this. The Punjab government proposed a system where the Central and State governments would share the cost, providing ₹2,500 per acre as an incentive for farmers to manage stubble sustainably. However, this proposal has not been approved. Without significant direct support, farmers are less motivated to switch from burning to sustainable practices​.

Environmental and Health Impacts

The environmental and health impacts of stubble burning are far-reaching. The smoke produced by burning fields travels across states, causing air quality to deteriorate drastically in densely populated areas like Delhi. In 2023, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) reached hazardous levels, with PM2.5 concentrations—fine particles harmful to human health—exceeding WHO safety guidelines by more than ten times. Such high levels of pollution can cause serious respiratory issues, aggravate chronic lung diseases, and even increase the risk of lung cancer​. These health concerns extend to rural areas, affecting not only city dwellers but also farmers and villagers exposed to the harmful pollutants on a daily basis.

Government Efforts and Policy Gaps

1. Subsidies for Crop Residue Management (CRM) Machines: The Central government introduced a subsidy scheme in 2018 to encourage farmers to use CRM machines. Although this initiative aimed to help farmers manage crop residue without burning, these subsidies have not effectively addressed the problem. Many farmers find it challenging to operate and maintain these machines, and reports indicate that many of the subsidised machines have become redundant due to high operational costs​.
2. Legal Actions and Penalties: In recent years, the government and courts have imposed penalties on farmers who burn stubble. Some farmers even face red entries in their records, which can affect their ability to get loans or sell land. However, these punitive measures often feel unjust to farmers, who are already facing economic hardship. Punishing them for a practice they feel they cannot avoid only adds to their burden, and coercive measures alone have proven insufficient in stopping the practice​.
3. Success of Incentive Programmes in Haryana: Haryana’s initiative to offer a ₹1,000 per acre incentive for farmers who sell stubble to contractors has seen some success. Farmers who participate in this programme help supply stubble for biofuel production, reducing the amount of residue burned. This programme illustrates that with proper incentives, farmers are willing to adopt alternatives to burning. However, the programme is currently limited in scale and would need substantial expansion to address the problem on a larger scale​.

Long-Term Solutions: Diversification and Sustainable Agriculture

Experts in agricultural policy suggest that one of the most promising solutions is to diversify the types of crops grown. In particular, farmers could shift away from water-intensive crops like paddy to alternatives that produce less residue, such as cotton and sugarcane. However, these alternative crops do not receive the same minimum support price (MSP) as paddy, making them less attractive to farmers​. For crop diversification to be successful, the government would need to offer strong support for these alternative crops, including reliable pricing and better market access.

The Historical Context of Stubble Burning

The roots of the stubble burning issue can be traced back to the Green Revolution, which transformed Punjab into a rice-growing region to ensure food security. Traditionally, Punjab did not grow paddy, as its climate and soil were not naturally suited for it. However, with government support and high-yielding crop varieties, paddy production soared. Mechanised farming methods, such as combine harvesters, left long stubble in the fields, which could not be easily ploughed back into the soil. Consequently, burning became the easiest option. The legacy of these policy changes continues to impact farmers, who are now reliant on a crop that poses serious challenges for residue management​.

Ethical Concerns and the Farmer’s Perspective

Many farmers feel the current approach to stubble burning is unfair. With limited resources and alternatives, they find themselves penalised for a practice that feels like a necessity rather than a choice. It is important to think about whether it is fair to punish poor farmers, especially since forcing them to change will not work on its own. Farmer unions and local organisations argue for a balanced approach that includes incentives and practical support rather than solely relying on penalties.

Technological Innovations and Potential Solutions

Exploring innovative and affordable technologies for stubble management could help. Newer technologies, like small-scale machines suited to smaller farms or community machinery sharing programmes, could make sustainable residue management accessible to more farmers. Moreover, integrating stubble into biofuel production or other industries, as Haryana’s incentive programme illustrates, offers promising possibilities. With such measures, India could take a step forward in addressing this recurring problem​.

Conclusion

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