Title : STUBBLE BURNING

Date : Dec 12, 2021

Description :

Gs III

 

Topic à Environmental Conservation related issues

 

• What is the cause of stubble burning:

 

• Farmers commonly prepare fields for wheat sowing in November since there is little time between rice harvest and wheat sowing.

 

• Impact:

 

• Stubble burning emits toxic gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter, as well as particle matter.

 

• Why do farmers choose to burn their stubble:

 

• They don't have any other options for properly utilising them.
• Farmers are ill-equipped to cope with waste because they cannot afford the latest waste-handling technology that is available.
• Owing to lower income due to crop damage, farmers are more prone to burn up their fields to save money rather than invest in scientific stubble management methods.

 

• Benefits of stubble burning include:

 

• It clears the field rapidly and is the most cost-effective option.
• Kills weeds, including herbicide-resistant weeds.
• Slugs and other pests are killed.
• It's possible to minimise nitrogen binders.

 

• Stubble Burning's Consequences:

 

• Open stubble burning releases a considerable amount of dangerous pollutants into the sky, including harmful gases such as methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compound (VOC), and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. They have the potential to produce smog in the future.
• Soil Fertility: Burning husk on the ground depletes the soil's nutrients, making it less fertile.
• Heat Penetration: Heat created by stubble burning enters the soil, causing moisture and beneficial bacteria to be lost.

 

• Alternatives to Stubble Burning include the following:

 

• Encourage the use of power plants that are based on paddy straw. It will also provide job opportunities.
• Crop leftovers can assist enhance soil moisture and activate the growth of soil microbes, resulting in greater plant growth.
• By composting the discarded leftovers, you can create enriched organic manure.
• Scientific research can uncover new potential for industrial use, such as yeast protein extraction.

 

• What should be done according to the Supreme Court's findings:

 

• Those who do not burn their stubble could be given incentives, while those who do continue to do so could be given disincentives.
• The existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme must be interpreted in such a way that it allows States to withhold the benefit of MSP to those who continue to burn crop residue entirely or partially.

 

• Model of Chhattisgarh:

 

• The Chhattisgarh government has embarked on an interesting experiment by establishing gauthans.
• A gauthan is a five-acre field kept in common by each community where all unused stubble is gathered through parali daan (people's donations) and transformed into organic fertiliser by mixing it with cow dung and a few natural enzymes.
• The programme also creates jobs for young people in rural areas.
• The government encourages parali to be transported from the farm to the nearest gauthan.
• 2,000 gauthans have been successfully developed by the state.

 

• Source à The Hindu à 11/12/21 à Page Number 8

Tags : methane, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons