The residue burning events has reduced substantially due to a special Scheme to support the efforts of the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi
Context
The residue burning events has reduced substantially due to a special Scheme to support the efforts of the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi.
About the Scheme
- It is a Central Sector Scheme (100% funded by the Central Government).
- It aims to address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue.
- The scheme was launched in 2018.
Objectives
- protecting environment from air pollution
- preventing loss of nutrients and soil micro-organisms caused by burning of crop residue
- promoting in-situ management of crop residue by retention and incorporation into the soil
- use of appropriate mechanization inputs
- creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration
- capacity building activities and differentiated Information
- Education and Communication strategies for effective utilization and management
Outcomes
- The residue burning events in 2020 in Punjab, Haryana and UP together have reduced by -30% as compared to 2016.
- In Punjab the reduction is -22.7%, Haryana - 63.8% and UP - 52.01%.
Impact of burning of crop residue
- Crop residue burning directly contribute to environmental pollution, and are also responsible for the haze in Delhi and melting of Himalayan glaciers.
- The heat from burning paddy straw penetrates 1 centimetre into the soil, elevating the temperature to 33.8 to 42.2 degree Celsius. This kills the bacterial and fungal populations critical for a fertile soil.
- Burning of crop residue causes damage to other micro-organisms present in the upper layer of the soil as well as its organic quality.
- One tonne stubble burning leads to a loss of 5.5 kilogram nitrogen, 2.3 kg phosphorus, 25 kg potassium and more than 1 kg of sulfur — all soil nutrients, besides organic carbon.
Alternative methods to manage crop residues
- Happy Seeder(used for sowing of crop in standing stubble)
- Rotavator (used for land preparation and incorporation of crop stubble in the soil)
- Zero till seed drill (used for land preparations directly sowing of seeds in the previous crop stubble)
- Baler (used for collection of straw and making bales of the paddy stubble)
- Paddy Straw Chopper (cutting of paddy stubble for easily mixing with the soil)
- Reaper Binder (used for harvesting paddy stubble and making into bundles)
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