CAQM Cracks Down on Stubble Burning: High-Level Review in Punjab
CAQM Chairperson visits Ropar, Hoshiyarpur, and Amritsar to review paddy stubble management and prevent crop burning during the harvest season.
As the paddy harvesting season gains momentum, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas has stepped up its efforts to curb air pollution. A high-level delegation, led by the Chairperson of the CAQM, recently conducted an extensive tour of Punjab, visiting Ropar, Hoshiyarpur, and Amritsar to review paddy stubble management measures and ensure that crop residue burning is kept to a minimum.
On-Ground Inspections and Infrastructure Review
The visiting team engaged in a comprehensive assessment of both in-situ (on-field) and ex-situ (off-field) strategies. The itinerary included visits to several key installations designed to handle agricultural waste, including:
- Thermal power plants
- Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plants
- Biomass plants
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)
- Active farm fields
During the visit to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, the team witnessed live demonstrations of specialized machinery used for managing paddy residue. A primary objective of the visit was to evaluate whether there is enough machinery available to support farmers during this critical window of the agricultural cycle.
Push for Co-Firing and Emission Norms
A significant portion of the review focused on the utilization of paddy straw in industrial settings. The CAQM has issued clear directives to state authorities to meet co-firing targets within thermal power plants. However, the Commission stressed that this must be achieved without compromising environmental standards, placing a special emphasis on strict compliance with emission norms.
Maximizing Resource Utilization
The delegation scrutinized the existing mechanisms used to transport and process paddy straw for use in biomass and thermal plants. By strengthening these ex-situ management systems, the goal is to provide farmers with viable alternatives to burning their crop residue.
Urgent Directives for the Peak Harvest Period
With harvesting now in full swing, the Commission warned that concerted and intensified efforts are required from all concerned authorities. The CAQM highlighted the following critical requirements:
- Timely Access: Ensuring that Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery reaches farmers exactly when they need it.
- Effective Deployment: Maximizing the availability of equipment based on the emerging requirements of the peak harvesting period.
- Ecosystem Strengthening: Building a more robust support system to minimize the temptation or necessity for stubble burning.
The Commission emphasized the need for proactive field-level monitoring and the timely resolution of any operational gaps to ensure that straw management interventions are implemented effectively on the ground.