News Summary
- According to a study done by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the crop residue burning is causing serious health and economic loss in northern India.
Key Findings
- Crop residue burning is a leading cause for air pollution northern India especially in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
- Health Cost
- Crop residue burning is leading risk factor for acute respiratory infection.
- The study showed that districts with high number of fires per day were associated with population having a 3-fold higher risk of ARI
- Other factors causing acute respiratory infection include:
- Motor-vehicle congestion
- Open drainage
- Cooking with biomass
- Construction in urban areas
- Economic Cost
- The economic loss estimated due to crop residue burning and resulting air pollution is around Rs.2.35 lakh crore every year in Punjab Haryana and Delhi.
Crop Residue Burning
- Crop residue burning is a leading cause for air pollution northern India especially in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
- The Supreme Court-appointed Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also in its report pointed out crop residue burning as one of the 5 key sources of air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
- According to estimates crop residue burnt in India range from 200 million tonnes to 240 million tonnes a year.
- This is particularly severe in Punjab and Haryana which account for about 20 million tonnes every year.
Steps to reduce crop residue burning
- In 2013, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a directive to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to ban stubble burning.
- National Biofuels Policy 2018 prescribes use of crop residues to produce biofuels increasing the country’s ethanol and biodiesel production.
- Given the increased demand for biofuels in the country the menace of stubble burning could be attacked and re-route crop residue for increasing bio fuel production.
- The National Clean Air Programme recently launches calls for in situ management of crop residue to tackle particulate pollution.
Crop residue burning continues: Why?
- Crop residue burning continues because farmers do not have alternatives for use of straw.
- Using crop residue for biofuel is still not economically viable for farmers and biofuel companies because:
- Logistics cost of collecting the husk is very high
- Ethanol yield from husk is very low
- Burning is the quickest solution farmers have before the land is ready for next crop, since harvest window is only 20-30 days.
Way Forward
- Government should incentivize using of husk in ethanol production.
- States should bring about micro-guidelines on biofuels in line with National Biofuel Policy.
- Crop residue can be used for making pellets that can complement the coal burned in thermal power plants.
- Setting up of ethanol and bio-CNG plants that uses crop residue as fuel.
- Establishment of a robust supply chain for crop residues from the field to the power plant.
About International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
- The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is non-government organisation and an international agricultural research center.
- It provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.
- IFPRI’s Strategy focuses on five strategic research areas:
- Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply
- Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for All
- Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry
- Transforming Agricultural and Rural Economies
- Strengthening Institutions and Governance
