- By Aditya Jha
- Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Smog Stories: Delhi and other nearby regions have witnessed severe air pollution in the winter months for the past few decades. The situation gets worse in November, especially after cases of stubble burning and Diwali celebrations. The air quality turns so poor that Delhiites find it hard to breathe or see through the thick smog. While there are several factors behind the air pollution, one of the key reasons is the burning of crop residue or stubble by farmers in the northern states of India.
This farm practice is responsible for 8.19 per cent of the pollution. While the wind carries the dust particles to Delhi, it stops moving further in the winter months due to the climate change, choking the surface air. Several hazardous greenhouse gases are released due to stubble burning, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (N2O) at very high levels, reported the Current Agriculture Research Centre (CARC).
The Daily Jagran spoke to Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan (BKS) president Rajendra Yadav and Bharatiya Kisan Union Kranti leader Parvindar Yadav to understand why stubble burning continues unabated. Farmers have their own reasons, the leaders say. Small-scale farmers burn stubble due to several reasons, including time constraints, fewer resources, and less support from the administration.
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Why Is Stubble Burning So Common:
Time Constraints: Farmers burn the leftovers to save the time for the next crop
Soil quality: In some areas, soil has a high clay content where stubble burning is convenient
Crop quality: Use of machine affects the crop quality, the farmers complained
Cost: The use of machines is very expansive
Diesel price: Farmers burn stubble due to high fuel prices
Small-scale farmers: They are not able to utilise the schemes
Govt Assistance, Punishment For Stubble Burning
The Punjab government has sanctioned a total of 15,613 crop residue management (CRM) machines for farmers this season; however, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kranti)'s Parvindar Yadav stated that most of the machines are costly and are not delivered on time.
The Central government has also imposed fines under which the farmers with an area of land of less than 2 acres shall be fined Rs 5,000 for stubble burning. Apart from this, the farmers with land area of 2 acres or more but less than 5 acres shall pay Rs 10,000, adding that the farmers with an area of land of more than five acres shall pay Rs 30,000.
Highlighting the limitations of these measures, Parvindar Yadav said, "While the government imposes heavy penalties on farmers, the incentives and other facilities do not reach the farmers on time. The small farmers will not stop burning the stubble until they get incentives and machinery."
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Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan (BKS)'s national president Rajendra Yadav suggested that the government should collect the leftovers from the lands. "The government should provide resources to these farmers and should form a system to collect the leftovers from their lands to ensure that they do not burn the stubble," he said.
While stubble burning is one of the reasons behind the air pollution, it cannot be held solely responsible due to its lesser contribution. This practice can be avoided by taking the right measures and providing incentives and resources to the small-scale farmers.
(This article is part of the series 'Smog Stories'. To read more articles in the series, click here)