Research Paper Environmental Science
E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 9 | Issue : 4 | April 2023
TO WHAT EXTENT DOES STUBBLE BURNING AFFECT THE BIODIVERSITY OF INDIA, AND CREATE A THREAT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY? Soumya Gupta Impact & Research Fellowship Program, Harvard Student Agencies. In collaboration with Learn with Leaders ABSTRACT The timeline of the air pollution in North India is predictable. Wintertime air pollution, which is mostly caused by particulate matter from farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, makes already severely polluted air intolerable. This supports the idea that farmers are the main architects of Delhi's air pollution crisis, and temporary fixes only work while the skies are clear. Seasonal paddy stubble burning has shown to have negative impacts; it is estimated that each year, 150,000 years of healthy life are lost as a result. However, a paddy-wheat farming system with significant consequences on the area underlies stubble burning. The prevalent practise of planting wheat in the winter season and paddy in the monsoon season results in more than just stubble burning. Additionally, it has deteriorated the land, depleted the groundwater, lowered farm earnings, increased debt, and made Northwest India more susceptible to climate change. This research paper addresses the main causes of stubble burning as well as its effects, with a particular emphasis on the problems that the people of India are experiencing as a result. KEYWORDS: Pollution, stubble burning, climate change, agricultural waste, mulching, animal fodder, legislation. INTRODUCTION Most often, stubble-burning is observed in northern Indian states like Punjab, Haryana, etc. After harvesting their rice, many farmers burn the remaining plant matter in order to switch between crops. The main reason for doing it is to alternate between rice and wheat crops. In the past, Stubble-burning was done to allow farmers to plant two different kinds of crops on the same piece of ground, increasing their yield and income. Compared to other removal techniques, it is easier and less expensive. Even though it is thought to be slightly dangerous, it is nevertheless regarded as acceptable in some parts of the world, albeit in very small amounts. For instance, 5% of stubble-burning is permitted in some Canadian provinces, but Punjab in India has outlawed the practice entirely due to rising pollution levels in the country's northern provinces and a number of forest fires that stubble-burning has caused (National Library of Medicine, 2019). In the north-western Indian states, disposing of paddy residue has become a major issue, thus farmers now choose to burn the residues on-site. The management of paddy residue is crucial because it includes plant nutrients and enhances the soil-plant-atmosphere continuity. Burning biomass damages the ecosystem and removes a significant amount of vital nutrients for plants (Down To Earth, 2019). This paper seeks to provide an overview of the practice of burning agricultural wastes in India, as well as its impacts on the environment and human health. It also discusses various alternative solutions to burning agricultural residues. Literature Review Stubble burning has been reckoned among the major contributors of air pollution in India. It is a significant source of gaseous pollutants such as, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and methane (CH4). The situation is more austere in India due to the intensive rice-wheat rotation system which generates large amounts of stubble. The disastrous haze observed over India during the winter season has been linked to stubble burning as it coincides with the burning periods (October-November). The crop stubbles (if managed properly) could provide immense economic benefits to the farmers and protect the environment. The use of stubble as fuel in power plants, raw material for the pulp and paper industry, or the creation of biofuel are a few examples of alternative management techniques. The majority of farmers in North India believe burning to be the best option since they are unaware of the several alternatives to manage stubble. In addition to having an impact on air quality, stubble burning also has an impact on economic growth, climate, and soil fertility (by destroying the nutrients in the soil). Body Burning stubble is one of the main causes of atmospheric pollution, emitting gaseous and particulate pollutants that have detrimental impacts on both human health and the environment. Even though it ranks third after industrial and vehicle emissions, it is still a substantial source of air pollution in many regions of the world. Stubble burning is the deliberate combustion of crop residue by farmers after harvest. Stubbles are the cut stalks that have been left on a field after cereal plant grains or sugarcane stems have been picked. However, in Asian nations like China, almost 60% of the total biomass emissions come from the burning of stubble, not from other biomass burning activities like burning wood for cooking
food, igniting municipal rubbish in open fields, or starting wildfires. Including forest fires, stubble burning accounts for around one-fourth of all biomass burning worldwide (IsaAbdurrahman et al., 2020). Despite its many drawbacks, stubble burning is still practiced in India, particularly in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and others. The main reason for this is that farmers there are so accustomed to this practice that it is all they are aware of. They also continue to alternate between growing rice and wheat because they want to increase their incomes (National Library of Medicine, 2019). Adapting to change is challenging for them, and on top of that, they struggle to learn and practice current eco-friendly residue management techniques because all of the farmers are so accustomed to their traditional practices that they struggle to adopt new ones (National Library of Medicine, 2019). The world's food output has greatly increased as a result of the rising food demand in developing nations. Therefore, agro-based firms are lucrative ventures in both developed and developing nations. Agro-product production is increased by the diversity of agricultural practices, which has resulted in an overall rise in waste production and environmental damage. The type of operations carried out and the trash produced depend on the geographical and cultural characteristics of a nation. Due to advancements in water management systems, contemporary agrotechnology, and large-scale pesticide deployment, extensive areas of wasteland have been transformed into agricultural lands. These actions have raised the difficulty of disposing of agricultural waste and polluted the environment worldwide (Bhuvaneshwari et al., 2019). The main issues that the locals deal with include chest congestion, lung disorders, eye irritation, and eye dryness. During October 2016 and November 2017, the National Capital Region [NCR] of Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab had devastating pollution effects. Air pollution (smog), particularly indoor air pollution, which is also a risk factor for developing pulmonary TB, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumoconiosis, bronchitis, cataract, corneal opacity, blindness, and other health issues were caused by these instances. 20,000 premature fatalities occur each year in Delhi NCR alone as a result of severe air pollution (Singh, 2017). According to a 2016 study by Vitull K. Gupta, professor of medicine at Bathinda, 84.5% of people experience health issues as a result of a rise in smog. It was shown that 768.8% of respondents reported irritation in their eyes, 44.8% in their nose, and 45.5% in their throat. 41.6 percent of respondents reported coughing or an increase in coughing, and 18 percent reported wheezing. According to a different study by the Institute for Social and Economic Change in Bengaluru, Punjabi rural residents spend Rs 7.6 crore annually on medical care for illnesses brought on by burning stubble (Gupta, 2022). Legislations The Delhi High Court ordered Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan to implement a comprehensive policy to address the issue of outdoor stubble burning in their respective regions on October 8, 2016. Following this instruction, the aforementioned states swiftly passed harsh legislation, including penalties, prohibiting the burning of any stubble within their borders. For instance, 1406 producers in Haryana were penalized a total of 1.375 million rupees on November 26, 2016, after being found to be in violation of the regula-
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