Why Burning Crop Residue Harms Both Air Quality and Farm Fertility

New Delhi, October 25: Each year, as October begins, Delhi and surrounding regions face a sharp deterioration in air quality. Dense smog forms and poses health risks. Stubble burning is one of the factors cited in the pollution problem of Delhi NCR.

Even after government bans and National Green Tribunal orders, along with legal action, paddy straw continues to be burnt in fields across parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi once the kharif paddy harvest is complete. This is steadily emerging as a serious issue for the environment, soil productivity and human well-being.

Burning paddy straw generates considerable amounts of particulate matter. Because these particles are extremely small, they can move across long distances. The result is greater air pollution not just in the states where burning happens but in nearby areas too. Delhi alone sees stubble burning account for up to 40 per cent of its winter pollution.

Researchers estimate that every tonne of paddy straw burnt causes the loss of around 400 kg of carbon, 5.5 kg of nitrogen, 2.3 kg of phosphorus, 2.5 kg of potash and 1.2 kg of sulphur. The fires also wipe out useful microorganisms in the soil. Smoke is associated with respiratory diseases, eye irritation and cardiac problems. Paddy straw burning is a legal offence that attracts fines and prosecution.

Farmers can choose better methods rather than setting fire to residue. Paddy straw offers high-quality fibre and sufficient protein, which benefits livestock health and development. It can be ploughed into fields and used as organic manure. Rotavators, happy seeders, paddy straw reapers and disc harrows are among the machines that prove useful.

Paddy straw can also be transformed into fertiliser through composting, bio-decomposers and trichoderma. Research shows that it contains 0.5 to 1 per cent nitrogen, roughly 0.6 per cent phosphorus and about 1.5 per cent potash. Micronutrients such as zinc, iron and manganese are also present, and these significantly support soil fertility.

According to a bulletin released on October 6 by the consortium formed for research on space-based monitoring and modelling of agro-ecological systems at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), 287 locations across seven states recorded crop residue burning between September 15 and October 6, 2026.