A NEW CONVERSATION IS NEEDED ON FARM FIRES

06 Nov 2026

Tags: Environment   Conservation   Pollution control

Source: The Indian Express

Context: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has intensified action against stubble burning in Punjab following a recent spike in Delhi's air pollution.

• Delhi's Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, attributed the deterioration in Delhi's air quality partly to farm fires in Punjab.
• CAQM issued show-cause notices to Deputy Commissioners and senior police officers in nine districts and warned officials in 12 districts of personal accountability for enforcement failures.
• Crop-residue burning is prohibited, with fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹30,000.
• Despite a decline in farm-fire incidents over the last three years, the reduction has not translated into a significant improvement in air quality.

Why Does Stubble Burning Continue?

• Economic constraints: In-situ crop-residue management is expensive, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
• Inadequate biomass markets: Procurement of paddy straw for industrial use has not expanded sufficiently to provide farmers with reliable buyers and remunerative prices.
• Limited machinery access: Farmers face difficulties accessing affordable machinery for collecting, transporting and managing crop residues.
• Agricultural cycle constraints: Farmers have a narrow window between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing, encouraging quick disposal of crop residues.
• Weather-related disruptions: Unusual weather conditions, including October rainfall, delayed harvesting and further compressed the time available for wheat sowing.
• Inadequate returns: According to a recent CEEW study, farmers are increasingly removing straw from fields, but the financial returns remain insufficient for most of them.
• Cropping pattern: Free electricity for irrigation encourages water-intensive paddy cultivation in Punjab, contributing to large-scale paddy straw generation.

Limitations in Monitoring Stubble Burning

• Changing timing of farm fires: Studies by ISRO, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and FOREST indicate that peak stubble burning has shifted from early afternoon to late afternoon and evening.
• Satellite detection gaps: Satellites observe agricultural fields at fixed intervals. Fires occurring later may therefore remain undetected.
• Need for ground verification: Satellite alerts must be verified by agriculture officials through field inspections to ensure accurate identification and reporting of violations.
• CAQM's new portal: Links satellite-based evidence with field-level enforcement action to improve monitoring and accountability.

Institutional and Policy Measures

• Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):
  • A statutory body established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.
  • Coordinates, monitors and implements measures to improve air quality in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas.
  • Has powers to issue directions and coordinate action by State governments and other authorities.
• Crop-residue management: Government interventions aim to promote machinery and alternative uses of paddy straw instead of open-field burning.
• Biomass utilisation: Paddy straw can be collected and utilised as a raw material for industrial applications, including biomass-based energy generation.
• Satellite monitoring: Remote sensing technology helps identify fire locations and monitor the spatial and temporal patterns of stubble burning.

Way Forward

• Make straw collection economically viable: Develop reliable procurement systems and ensure remunerative prices for paddy straw.
• Strengthen local collection networks: Establish decentralised collection, storage and transportation facilities to connect farmers with industries.
• Improve machinery access: Expand affordable access to crop-residue management equipment, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
• Promote industrial utilisation: Develop dependable markets for paddy straw in biomass-based power generation and other industrial applications.
• Improve monitoring: Combine satellite-based alerts with timely ground-level verification by agriculture and enforcement officials.
• Move beyond punitive measures: Enforcement should be accompanied by economic incentives and viable alternatives to burning.
• Rationalise electricity subsidies: The article advocates ending free electricity for agricultural irrigation in Punjab to discourage excessive paddy cultivation and reduce the generation of crop residues.
• Crop diversification: Encourage farmers to shift towards less water-intensive crops to reduce groundwater depletion and the environmental burden associated with paddy cultivation.

Important Concepts for UPSC

• Stubble Burning: Deliberate burning of crop residues remaining in agricultural fields after harvesting, mainly to clear land quickly for the next cropping season.
• In-situ Crop Residue Management: Managing crop residues within the field without removing them, using techniques such as mulching, incorporation into soil and specialised machinery.
• Ex-situ Crop Residue Management: Collecting crop residues from fields and transporting them for alternative uses such as biomass energy, industrial fuel and other products.
• Happy Seeder: A tractor-mounted machine that sows wheat directly into fields containing standing paddy stubble without requiring its burning or removal.
• Biomass: Organic material derived from plants and animals that can be used as a source of energy or industrial raw material.
• Remote Sensing: Collection of information about the Earth's surface through satellites or aircraft without direct physical contact; useful for monitoring agricultural fires and environmental changes.