Stubble Burning Environmental Impacts & Proactive Steps

Abstract

Crop residue burning incidents commence every September to November with unfailing regularity in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh and rise steadily as the weeks pass. This well-established pattern leads to an airpocalypse, paralysing northern India with the onset of winter every year. Multiple factors, such as the paddy–wheat cropping system and consequent mechanised harvesting that leaves behind residue in the field, delayed sowing to conserve groundwater, labour scarcity, and the lack of viable markets for residue, are responsible for stubble burning in Haryana, Punjab & Uttar Pradesh.