{"id":69908,"date":"2025-10-24T11:49:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T06:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=69908"},"modified":"2025-10-24T11:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T06:19:30","slug":"stubble-burning-in-punjab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/stubble-burning-in-punjab\/","title":{"rendered":"Stubble Burning in Punjab, Decline in Numbers and Data Gaps"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Stubble Burning Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The latest satellite-based data shows that while Punjab\u2019s stubble burning incidents have reportedly declined by 70% in 2024, the total burnt farmland area remains almost unchanged.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Stubble Burning in Punjab: An Evolving Challenge<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every autumn, vast swathes of north India are engulfed in haze as farmers burn paddy residue to clear fields for the next wheat crop.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This annual cycle, especially prevalent in Punjab and Haryana, contributes significantly to <\/span><b>air pollution across northern India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including the <\/span><b>National Capital Region (NCR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice of stubble burning remains one of India\u2019s most persistent environmental challenges, despite several years of government intervention, technological support, and public awareness campaigns.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Problem of Crop Residue Burning<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punjab, a leading rice and wheat-producing state, relies heavily on <\/span><b>mechanised harvesting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using combine harvesters.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These machines leave behind paddy stubble that is difficult to remove manually. Given the short <\/span><b>three-week window between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, farmers find <\/span><b>burning the residue the most cost-effective and time-efficient option<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the method helps prepare the fields quickly, it leads to <\/span><b>massive emissions of <\/b><b>particulate matter<\/b><b> (PM2.5 and PM10)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, nitrogen oxides, and greenhouse gases.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The smoke drifts toward neighbouring states, worsening air quality across Delhi-NCR and beyond.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Trends and Statistics: Is the Problem Really Declining?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent data indicate a complex picture. According to the <\/span><b>Punjab government\u2019s satellite-based estimates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the state recorded <\/span><b>10,909 cases of stubble burning in 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a sharp <\/span><b>70% decline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>36,663 cases in 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This drop has been attributed to a mix of factors, including <\/span><b>widespread flooding in mid-2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which left large stretches of farmland inundated, and <\/span><b>government-led initiatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promoting crop residue management.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, while the number of incidents has declined, <\/span><b>the total burnt area has not shown a corresponding reduction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data from the <\/span><b>Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that in 2024, nearly <\/span><b>19.17 lakh hectares<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of farmland were affected by stubble burning, almost identical to <\/span><b>19.14 lakh hectares in 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This suggests that although fewer fire incidents are being recorded, the fires that do occur are covering <\/span><b>larger areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or are being <\/span><b>underreported<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by existing detection systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Understanding the Data Discrepancy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts point out that the apparent contradiction arises from <\/span><b>technical and observational limitations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the way fire incidents are recorded.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Satellite systems such as <\/span><b>MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> detect fires based on <\/span><b>thermal infrared imaging<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, essentially identifying heat anomalies on the Earth\u2019s surface.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, these satellites <\/span><b>pass over Punjab only a few times a day<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often missing short-lived or smaller fires that occur <\/span><b>in the late afternoon or evening<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are common in Punjab\u2019s fragmented landholdings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A study by the <\/span><b>Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, found that cloud cover, haze, and the short duration of many farm fires <\/span><b>lead to significant underreporting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, as farmers become aware of satellite monitoring, some have started <\/span><b>covering up burnt patches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or conducting burns strategically to avoid detection.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Advances in Monitoring and the Role of New <\/strong><strong>Technologies<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these limitations, advances in <\/span><b>optical satellite imaging<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are improving accuracy.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to experts, <\/span><b>optical sensors like Sentinel-2<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can detect <\/span><b>post-fire discolouration and burn scars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, providing a more precise estimate of the total burnt area even when thermal sensors miss direct fire events.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They emphasise that future assessments must integrate <\/span><b>thermal and optical satellite observations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, supported by <\/span><b>ground-based verification<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to accurately capture both the number of incidents and the extent of damage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Policy Interventions and Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Central and Punjab governments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have undertaken several initiatives over the years to tackle the stubble burning problem. These include:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Subsidised Crop Residue Management (CRM) Machines:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Distribution of happy seeders, super straw management systems, and mulchers to promote in-situ residue management.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Ex-situ Biomass Utilisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Encouraging biomass-based power plants and ethanol production to use paddy straw.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Financial Incentives:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Direct benefit transfers to farmers adopting non-burning methods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Monitoring and Enforcement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Deployment of real-time monitoring via satellites and drones, coupled with local enforcement by district administrations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, experts argue that these measures need <\/span><b>long-term economic incentives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not just penalties or machinery subsidies.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shifting to <\/span><b>short-duration paddy varieties<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, promoting <\/span><b>crop diversification<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and ensuring <\/span><b>timely procurement and financial compensation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for alternative practices are crucial for sustainable change.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Rethinking Metrics of Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the declining number of recorded fires is encouraging, it is not a complete measure of progress. Thus, future assessments must focus not just on the <\/span><b>number of incidents<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but also on <\/span><b>fire intensity, duration, and emission load<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to accurately gauge environmental impact.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the long term, the fight against stubble burning will depend on <\/span><b>integrated policies combining technology, economics, and behavioural change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring that sustainable practices are both viable and profitable for Punjab\u2019s farmers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/is-punjabs-stubble-burning-problem-really-declining-explained\/article70193551.ece#:~:text=Punjab%20government%20data%2C%20based%20on,these%20fires%20has%20largely%20expanded.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TH<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite claims of a sharp decline in Punjab\u2019s stubble burning cases, satellite data suggest the total burnt area has not reduced significantly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":69943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,3368,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-69908","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-stubble-burning","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69908"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69908\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}