Lok Sabha Question No. 208 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Air Pollution caused by Stubble Burning
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 208

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## Air Pollution caused by Stubble Burning

## 208. SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

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

- (a) whether the Government is planning to prevent air pollution caused by stubble burning;
- (b) whether the Government is going to set up a plant to produce ethanol from stubble in Delhi NCR; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

## (a) to (c):

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and  Climate  Change  has  identified  Crop  Residue Management  as  one  of  the  priority  areas  for  prevention  of  air  pollution.  In  this  matter, deliberations and discussions held in series of meetings with the State Governments of Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, Government of NCT of Delhi, State Pollution Control Boards of NCR States  and  Delhi  Pollution  Control  Committee  (DPCC)  and  various  other  stakeholders  and knowledge institutions like Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Agricultural Research  Institute  (IARI),  Indian  Space  Research  Organization  (ISRO)  etc.  Based  on  these meetings,  a  framework  for  effective  prevention  and  control  of  Stubble  Burning  has  been developed  by  the  Commission  for  Air  Quality  Management  in  National  Capital  Region  and Adjoining Areas (CAQM).

The framework for effective prevention and control of stubble burning was issued through CAQM direction dated 10.06.2021 and based on learnings from the year 2021, 2022 and 2023, the  action  plans  for  Punjab,  Haryana  and  UP  (NCR  Districts)  have  been  further  revised  and updated for the upcoming paddy harvest season during 2024 including various measures for insitu & ex-situ management  of  stubble  and  also  focusing  on  Information,  Education  and Communication (IEC) activities and enforcement mechanism.

The CAQM has issued statutory directions to the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi on 12.04.2024 for 'Implementation and review of the updated/revised plan of action for prevention and control of stubble burning in 2024'.

Vide  the  aforesaid  direction  of  the  CAQM    has  advised  the  State  Governments  of  Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been advised to effectively implement the respective revised action plans, in letter and spirit, to ensure complete elimination of paddy stubble burning during 2024, inter-alia focusing on the following:

- i. Complete mapping of the identified means of management of paddy stubble ( in-situ management  through  CRM  machinery,  Biodecomposer  application  etc., ex-situ management as fuel/feedstock) to cover all farms/farmers in the State.
- ii. Review of availability and allocation of machines in CHCs/FPOs/Farm banks etc.
- iii. Augmentation  of  the  number  of  CHCs  and  ensuring  availability  of  appropriate resources with them.
- iv. Ensuring  procurement  of  all  identified  new  CRM  machines  by  individuals/CHCs for the year 2024, well in advance, by July-August 2024.
- v. Optimise  and  enhance  utilization  of  machinery  available  with  CHCs/FPOs/Farm Banks etc., focusing on supply of such machines to poor and marginal farmers.
- vi. IT/Web based monitoring mechanism to be instituted for utilization of machines in CHCs/FPOs/Farm  Banks  etc,  in  addition  to  surveillance  by  Village/Block  level teams/officers.
- vii. Continuation  and  enhancement  of  IEC/Sensitisation  activities  to  create  awareness regarding the ill effects of stubble burning.
- viii. Timely appointment and deputation of Nodal/Cluster/Village level officers for strict surveillance and enforcement actions.
- ix. Mechanism for pin-pointing and inspection of the farms/areas where paddy straw is burnt, if any, as per standard ISRO protocol and ensuring red-entries/accountability in such farm records, including levying and realization of prescribed EC.
- x. Conducting  frequent  reviews  and  close  monitoring  of  implementation  of  the framework/state specific plan of action at various levels in the State Government/District Administration.

GNCT of  Delhi  and  State  Government  of  Rajasthan  have  also  been  advised  to  make every  effort  towards  totally  eliminating  paddy  stubble  burning  incidents  during  the  ensuing harvest season.

Additionally,  guided  by  the  CAQM,  ISRO  developed  a  standard  protocol,  issued  on 16.08.2021, in consultation with major stakeholders including IARI, for recording and monitoring  of  crop  residue  burning  events,  which  shall  avoid  a  diverse  assessment  of  fire events/counts.

Effective and continuous supply of biomass/ paddy straw is an important component in the framework developed by the CAQM towards prevention and control of agricultural stubble burning. To this end, advisories were issued to States for ensuring efficient and robust supply chain for 'Ex-Situ' Stubble Management.

With the persistent efforts, an overall reduction of 27% in Punjab and 37% in Haryana was  observed  in  the  number  of  paddy  residue  burning  incidences  during  2023  as  per  IARI Bulletins.

Paddy Residue Burning events (upto 30 th  November, 2023)

|   Punjab |   Punjab | Punjab                 |   Haryana |   Haryana | Haryana               |   Total (including Delhi and NCR Districts of Rajasthan) |   Total (including Delhi and NCR Districts of Rajasthan) | Total (including Delhi and NCR Districts of Rajasthan)   |
|----------|----------|------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
|     2021 |     2022 | 2023                   |      2021 |      2022 | 2023                  |                                                     2021 |                                                     2022 | 2023                                                     |
|    71304 |    49922 | 36663 (-27% over 2022) |      6987 |      3661 | 2303 (-37% over 2022) |                                                    78550 |                                                    53792 | 39186 (27% over 2022)                                    |

One commercial Second Generation (2G) ethanol plant based on paddy straw feedstock has been set  up  by  Indian  Oil  Corporation  Ltd.  (IOCL)  at  Panipat  (Haryana).  This  plant  has  been dedicated to the nation on 10 th August 2022.

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