The central government has recently doubled the fines imposed on farmers for burning crop residue, an effort aimed at addressing the worsening air quality in Delhi and surrounding National Capital Region (NCR).
The revised penalties come on the heels of a Supreme Court directive urging stricter measures against stubble burning. Under the new rules, farmers with more than five acres of farmland will face fines as high as Rs 30,000. Smaller-scale farmers will also see increased fines: those with less than two acres of land now face a penalty of Rs 5,000, while farmers owning between two and five acres will need to pay Rs 10,000.
This hike in penalties reflects mounting concerns over pollution levels during the late autumn and winter months, when air quality in Delhi and NCR reaches hazardous levels. The situation is exacerbated by unfavourable meteorological conditions and multiple sources of local pollution.
Vehicular emissions, the burning of paddy straw, firecracker use, and other factors contribute significantly to the seasonal spike in air pollution. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), air quality often reaches critical levels from early to mid-November, a period that coincides with an increase in stubble-burning incidents in the agricultural states of Punjab and Haryana.
Stubble burning, while problematic, is driven by various factors that make alternative practices challenging for farmers. The predominant paddy-wheat cropping system, along with the cultivation of long-duration paddy varieties, results in leftover crop stubble after harvesting.
Mechanised harvesting methods leave behind stubble in the fields, and a lack of labour to manually clear these residues adds to the issue. Additionally, the absence of a viable market for crop residue means that farmers often resort to burning as a quick, cost-effective solution to prepare fields for the next crop cycle.
Research indicates that farm fires can contribute up to 30 percent of particulate matter (PM) levels in Delhi-NCR during peak burning seasons. However, experts caution against viewing stubble burning as the sole cause of poor air quality.
Environmentalists, including Sunita Narain, argue that while stubble burning contributes episodically to pollution spikes, it is not the primary factor driving year-round pollution in Delhi.
Instead, persistent sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and dust from construction are seen as larger, ongoing challenges to air quality in the region.
As pollution levels continue to rise, authorities and environmental advocates stress the need for comprehensive strategies that address both the episodic nature of stubble burning and the consistent impact of urban sources of pollution.
While fines may serve as a deterrent, solutions such as promoting crop diversification, offering incentives for eco-friendly residue management, and investing in cleaner transportation alternatives are viewed as crucial for a sustained improvement in air quality across Delhi-NCR.
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