The Haryana government, led by Manohar Lal Khattar, has come up with a smart solution to address the problem of stubble burning in the state. Now, farmers in the state will not only receive money for their crop residue but also have the option to convert the stubble into compressed biogas.
According to reports, the Khattar government will install 120 compressed biogas plants throughout the entire state. Each plant will cover an area of approximately 10 kilometres around it. Farmers will collect the leftover crop residue in their fields and transport it to these plants.
First, the remaining crop residue in the fields will be compacted into bundles, which will then be brought to the plant to be converted into compressed biogas. This will provide additional income to the farmers who bring the stubble and help address the issue of pollution in the state. There is also a plan to produce additional DAP fertilizer from the stubble.
Even before the installation of these plants, Haryana witnessed a reduction in stubble-burning incidents due to the determination of the Khattar government. This year, so far, only 714 instances of stubble burning have been reported from all over Haryana, compared to 893 in 2022 and 1508 in 2021.
The Haryana government is providing an incentive of ₹1,000 per acre to farmers for not burning crop residue. There have been no reported instances of stubble burning in districts like Gurugram, Charkhi-Dadri, Mahendragarh, Mewat, and Rewari in Haryana. However, in contrast, Punjab has not been able to curtail stubble-burning incidents.
So far this year, Punjab has recorded 1,794 documented incidents of stubble burning. Additionally, the state’s agricultural department is furnishing farmers with equipment to enable the safe disposal of crop residue.
In the state, drones are being used for monitoring incidents of stubble burning. While farmers who refrain from burning stubble are being incentivized, those who violate the rules are also facing consequences.
According to a report, due to the efforts of the Haryana government, the issue of stubble burning is gradually being addressed, and farmers are receiving additional income of 4-6 thousand rupees per acre. This stubble is being purchased by farms that convert it into animal fodder and other products.
In this matter, the Central government, led by PM Modi and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), is also monitoring the situation. Over the next two to three years, more biogas plants will be installed in Punjab and Haryana. Punjab will have 200 more plants, and Haryana will have 120. Additionally, the number of baler machines will also be increased. The government is hopeful that in the next two years, the problem of stubble burning will be significantly reduced.