The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has intensified preparations to curb stubble burning in Punjab’s identified paddy-burning hotspots, with a high-level team reviewing machinery access, surveillance, enforcement and straw utilisation arrangements in Tarn Taran and Amritsar.
The CAQM team, led by member (technical) S D Attri, visited Tarn Taran and other districts identified as hotspots before holding a review meeting with deputy commissioners and officials from Tarn Taran and Amritsar in Amritsar. The intervention is aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating paddy stubble burning, which has major implications for air quality across northern India.
Officials reviewed coordination between departments and districts for the in-situ and ex-situ utilisation of paddy stubble. The assessment covered paddy harvesting and procurement, the availability and deployment of crop residue management (CRM) machinery, and arrangements to ensure that farmers can access the equipment required to manage crop residue without burning it.
The commission also stressed the need for information campaigns and timely support for farmers. Balers from Tarn Taran, Amritsar and neighbouring areas are being used for ex-situ management of paddy straw, allowing residue to be collected and moved for use beyond the fields.
Tarn Taran has substantially achieved its targets for procurement and machinery availability, according to the report. However, field surveillance, awareness campaigns and enforcement measures are being strengthened to prevent incidents of stubble burning during the paddy harvesting period.
Amritsar has established a supply chain connecting farmers and aggregators with industries that use paddy straw bales as fuel. The arrangement is intended to create an outlet for collected straw and improve the movement of residue from farms to industrial users.
The district administration has also set up a control room and help desk at the district administrative complex to help farmers access CRM machinery. A helpline has been established for the prompt reporting of stubble-burning incidents, adding a direct reporting mechanism to the surveillance and enforcement system.
The CAQM visit was accompanied by the deployment of flying squads. The review of district preparedness and the coordination of machinery, reporting systems and straw supply chains will determine how effectively the measures operate during the ongoing harvest period.
