Stubble-burning cases double since September 15 despite late rain

Ground reports show much of the paddy is yet to be harvested in North India due to the delayed withdrawal of the southwest monsoon

Despite a delayed harvest and late retreat of the southwest monsoon from North India, early instances of stubble burning have almost doubled this year in the duration September 15-October 6 to 801 from 407 in the same period of 2021 in states where the practice is most severe.

According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s real-time monitoring of paddy residue-burning, these were recorded in six paddy-growing states— Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. 

Though, mainly owing to rain, its impact on air pollution isn’t pronounced, the numbers portend ominous signs for the days to come and are