Haryana Achieves 95% Reduction in Stubble Burning: A Model for Agricultural Waste Management

Chandigarh: Haryana has achieved a remarkable 95 percent reduction in active fire locations related to paddy crop residue burning compared to the previous year, according to data presented at a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on Tuesday.

Data from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) shows that the state recorded only seven incidents from September 15 to October 6 this year, down from 150 during the same period last year.

All districts have established 'Parali Protection Forces' to ensure prompt action against those violating stubble burning regulations.

Among the seven reported fire locations, appropriate action has been taken in three cases, including issuance of challans, filing of FIRs, and making red entries in farm records. Two of the reported fires were non-agricultural - one involving garbage in Faridabad and another involving industrial waste in Sonipat.

The government attributes this success to a comprehensive monitoring mechanism involving 9,036 nodal officers deployed across all districts, exceeding the required strength of 8,494 officers. Each officer monitors 50 farmers in red and yellow zones and 100 farmers in other areas.

Deputy commissioners have been instructed to ensure proper training for these nodal officers through a newly developed mobile application. The training program, conducted on Monday, prepared master trainers who will share knowledge with district-level nodal officers by Tuesday.

These officers engage regularly with farmers, monitor residue management practices, track machinery utilization, and report fire incidents through a dedicated mobile platform.

Haryana has made significant progress in providing farmers with alternatives to burning crop residue. Official data indicates that 90 percent of identification work for Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery has been completed, with 51,526 machines confirmed operational.

The procurement of new CRM machinery is advancing rapidly, having achieved a 94.74 percent completion rate. From 14,088 machines selected through a lottery system, permits have been downloaded for 8,213 machines, with bills uploaded for 7,781 machines.

Districts like Faridabad, Jhajjar, and Rohtak have achieved completion rates exceeding 98 percent, demonstrating exemplary implementation of the machinery distribution program.

In a pioneering sustainable initiative, the state has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Limited's (IOCL) ethanol plant in Panipat. The facility plans to purchase approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of paddy crop residue from Panipat district and an additional 170,000 metric tonnes from adjoining districts.

This initiative provides farmers with an economically viable alternative to stubble burning while contributing to clean, renewable fuel production.

The state administration has implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward stubble burning, following directives from the Supreme Court and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Farmers registered on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal receive weekly SMS alerts warning of strict actions, including challans, FIRs, and red entries in farm records, if they engage in crop residue burning. One mass SMS has already been sent to all registered paddy-growing farmers, with additional awareness messages scheduled weekly.

Recognizing the need for proper storage facilities for paddy straw bales, the state is conducting a comprehensive gap analysis. Five districts have identified requirements for an additional 205 acres of panchayat land for storage purposes.

While Kurukshetra has already made land available, other districts including Karnal, Panipat, and Sonipat are expected to submit their proposals shortly. Aggregators in Ambala have chosen to arrange land independently rather than use panchayat properties.

Haryana's holistic approach - combining technology, infrastructure development, farmer awareness, strict enforcement, and innovative residue utilization - has established a benchmark in agricultural environmental management.

As paddy harvesting season continues, state authorities remain vigilant to maintain this record and ensure cleaner air quality across the region.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Forests and Wildlife, Sudhir Rajpal; Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Vineet Garg; Additional Chief Secretary of Energy Department, A K Singh; and other senior officers.