Change in policy needed to prevent farm fires in Punjab

With the police cracking down on farmers involved in stubble burning, progressive farmers and agri entrepreneurs demanded that instead of penalising the farmers, the government should incentivise them for managing stubble. Claiming that the state was capable of kicking off a biofuel revolution, progressive farmers said the paddy residue could be sold at a premium provided the state government came with a paddy straw policy. Among the progressive farmers was Pavanpreet Singh, president, Biomass Association, Punjab. The association currently processes 4.5 lakh MT of paddy stubble from the state. He said all industries using boilers that use different kinds of fuels need to be incentivised to use paddy straw. Sukbir Singh Dhaliwal, who is running a startup, Farm2Energy, to convert paddy stubble into bio-coal, said after the Green Revolution, Punjab was sitting on the cusp of fuel revolution. “But the absence of an effective government policy is posing a hindrance, leading to rising farm fires incidents across the state,” he said. Dhaliwal said Punjab produced roughly 185 lakh tonnes of paddy straw every year. Of this, nearly 30 per cent is managed either in-situ (mixing the residue in the soil) or ex-situ (used as fuel), the rest is set ablaze. “The farm fires will not stop if we do not frame a policy. The government should mention how much the farmer will get by selling paddy residue,” said Dhaliwal. Harminder Singh Sidhu, a progressive farmer, has taken steps to check farm fires by establishing an equipment bank to lease farm machinery for harvesting and crop sowing. He stressed the importance of the government appreciating and engaging with farmers who are working to eliminate the practice of burning crop residue. Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman Adarshpal Vig said there were 10 biomass plants, processing 9 lakh tonnes of paddy residue per annum. “We are expecting a consumption of 5 lakh tonne of paddy residue by brick kilns. Further 7.4 lakh tonne of pellets will be used by thermal plants. Besides, stubble is being used in the paper and cement industry,” said Vig.