NGT asks Punjab to explain how it will handle 19 mn tonnes of paddy stubble

Green Tribunal seeks information from the state on stubble management in 2023 and 2024

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Punjab government to present by May 5 a comprehensive strategy for handling the estimated 19.52 million tonne of paddy stubble in the state.

The Indian Express (IE) reported that the tribunal’s principal bench heard a suo motu case on stubble burning and air pollution.

Farmers in North India, especially in Punjab and Haryana, burn the leftover wheat and paddy residue to prepare their fields for the next planting season. The practice makes the dense pre-winter smog in the National Capital Region worse, leading to a significant rise in air pollution.

The tribunal, which reviewed a report submitted by the Punjab government regarding the control of crop residue burning, asked for more information on stubble management in 2023 and 2024.

According to Punjab’s report, in 2023 the state generated 19.50 million tonne of paddy straw. Of that number 15.86 million tonne was effectively utilised. Among these, 11.5 million tonne was managed on-site and 3.66 million tonne was utilised off-site in various facilities, including boilers, biomass plants, biogas plants, bio-ethanol plants, thermal power plants, and brick kilns.

The state estimated that it would generate 19.52 million tonne of paddy straw in 2024, of which 18.66 million tonne would be utilised, a potential improvement over the 2023 figure. Punjab said 12.7 million tonne of the 18.66 million tonne would be managed on-site, with the remaining 5.96 million tonne to be used offsite in industrial plants and energy plants. This implies a nearly 60 per cent increase in the off-site use of paddy straw, according to IE.

In its order, the NGT Bench said, "For the projected figures of 2024 also, such full particulars relating to in-situ (on site) and ex-situ (off site) management will be disclosed. The report will also disclose as to how the projected figures for 2024 will be achieved, the preparation for the same till now and the preparation in the coming months to achieve the target.”

The IE report stated that the bench said Punjab must also provide details on steps it took last year to utilise paddy straw. “The… report will also include details relating to the mode and manner of removal of straw from the field, its transportation to different units for ex-situ management, the capacity of such units i.e industrial boilers, biogas power plant, compressed biogas plant etc. utilising the paddy straw and the details of such utilisation supporting/justifying the figures of utilisation disclosed for 2023,” said the Bench.