Lok Sabha Question No. 792 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-14
Subject: Stubble Burning
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JITENDRA CHAUDHURY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N0. 792

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2018

## Stubble Burning

## 792. SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Green Tribunal has denied minimum support price to farmers who are involved in stubble burning in all over the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  field  stubble  burning  is  main  cause  of  air  pollution  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (d) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)&(b)NGT in its Order dated 12.11.18 mentions that 'the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme must be so interpreted so as to enable the concerned States to wholly or partly deny the benefit of MSP to those who contribute to burn the crop residue.'

Further, NGT in its Order dated 15.11.18 took note of the meeting organised by the Ministry  of  Agriculture  on  14.11.18  with  the  Chief  Secretaries  of  the  States  of  Punjab, Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Delhi.  The  Order  mentions  that  'The  steps  considered  in  the meeting.  Incentives  and  dis-incentives  with  reference  to  MSP  will  not  be  practical.'  The Order further mentions 'The Tribunal had a chamber meeting, before the hearing, attended by all the members of the Tribunal, Chief Secretaries of the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, Secretary, Agriculture  Department,  Govt. of India and also the representative of Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Chairman of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), wherein the issue was discussed for about two hours to emphasize the need for monitoring at highest level, in view of seriousness of the issue, impacting to the public health and environment. It was unanimously agreed that multi-pronged approach will be adopted for in-situ and ex-situ management with a view to stop  burning  of  crop  residue  in  the  light  of  experience,  apart  from  the  management strategies.' Subsequently, the Order mentions'We direct the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, to continue to monitor the steps in contribution of its meeting held on 14.11.18 and furnish a status report to this Tribunal on or before 30.04.2019 by e-mail at ngt.filing@gmail.com.'

(c)     Stubble burning in Northern States contributes to air pollution in Delhi and NCR in winter  season  as  per  the  report  of  Indian  Institute  of  Tropical  Meteorology  (IITM),Pune, Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences.  System  of  Air  Quality  &  Weather  Forecasting  &  Research (SAFAR) has analysed the contribution of stubble burning in the total PM2.5 for the kharif season of this year. The estimated % share of stubble burning in PM2.5 reached to a high of 36% on 26 th October, 2018 and 33% on 5 th November, 2018.

(d)     To stop burning of crop residue that leads to higher level of air pollution in Delhi and NCR especially during adverse meteorological conditions in early winter in North India, the Central  Government  has  introduced  a  new  Central  Sector  Scheme  on  'Promotion  of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi' for the period from 2018-19 and 2019-20 with an outlay of Rs. 1151.80 crore.  This year's allocation of Central funds is Rs. 591.65 crore.

Ministry  of  Power  has  brought  out  the  policy  for  Biomass  Utilization  for  Power Generation through Co-firing in Pulverised Coal Fired Boilers in November, 2017. As per the policy, all fluidized bed and pulverized coal units (coal based thermal power plants) except those  having  ball  and  tube  mill,  of  power  generating  utilities,  public  or  private,  located  in India, shall endeavour to use 5-10% blend of biomass pellets made, primarily, of agri residue along with coal after assessing the technical feasibility, viz. safety aspects etc.   In line with the  policy,  Central  Electricity  Authority  has  issued  an  Advisory  to  all  concerned  State Governments, power plant utilities, power equipment manufacturers and other stake holders to promote use of biomass pellets.

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