Ban on burning stubble goes up in smoke

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, May 2

Despite ban, farmers of the district are resorting to stubble burning and the district Pollution Control Board has not been taking steps to curb the menace.

The practice has been going on for many years and has had a major impact on soil fertility. Sources said 68 per cent of the soil in the state was low on carbon organic, which is important for soil fertility.

Farmers in the wheat belt comprising Hisar, Bhiwani, Rohtak and Jhajjar districts have been burning stubble.

RS Hooda, chief scientist, Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC), Hisar, said, “During the 2015 kharif season, stubble was burnt on 162.99 hectares, which is 21.77 per cent less than that of 2013,” he said.

He said organic carbon in the soil was stubble burning. “Around 68.4 per cent area has become low on organic carbon in Haryana due to stubble/straw burning,” he said.

Nirmal Kashyap, regional officer, HSPCB, said no inspection had been conducted to curb the menace of stubble burning this season so far. “I will form a team to carry out inspections from tomorrow,” he said.

Kaithal: Stubble burning is going to unabated in Peoda, Deoban, Jakhouli and other villages of the district located along the Kaithal-Panipat road. A farmer from Jakhouli village said they were burning the stubble to plough their fields and prepare for the next sowing season.

Form special teams: NGT 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the district authorities to constitute special teams to curb the menace of stubble burning. But the HSPCB regional officer said he was unaware of any such team in Hisar. “One tonne of stubble burning emits about 60 kg carbon monoxide, 1,460 kg carbon dioxide and 1 kg sulphur dioxide, while accounts for loss of 5.5 kg nitrogen, 2.3 kg phosphorus and 25 kg potassium,” said RS Antil, Director (Extension), HAU.