Hot question: Stubble burning in India needs sustainable solutions

Experts have suggested direct cash transfers to farmers to buy CRM machines, which are currently being sold at inflated prices on account of the subsidy element

As the National Capital Region (NCR) chokes from the customary lethal post-Diwali pollution, it is noteworthy that stubble burning, the other major cause of bad air as the cooler weather sets in, has not contributed significantly to the high levels of toxicity in the air this year. The early data for the burning of paddy stubble between September 15 and October 15 showed an appreciable drop from last year. Punjab and Haryana, traditional leaders in this practice, saw such incidents drop 64 and 96 per cent, respectively. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have seen drops of 19-45 per cent.