Sirsa, Fatehabad sow opportunity in 'parali' ashes

A quiet revolution is taking place in Sirsa and Fatehabad districts, where progressive farmers are transforming the problem of paddy stubble, or parali, into profit. What was once a major source of air pollution and soil degradation is now fueling a growing rural industry that provides income, jobs, and environmental benefits.

In Sirsa, farmer Ranjit Singh has become a pioneer in stubble management. Since 2017, he has managed over 10 lakh quintals of paddy residue from 10,000 acres, employing more than 400 local workers. His company’s turnover now exceeds Rs 100 crore.

Singh purchases crop residue from nearby villages, processes it into fuel pellets, and supplies them to power plants. By doing so, he prevents open-field burning while generating jobs for rural youth. He also leases 30-40 acres each year to process stubble and its by-products. “If managed scientifically, parali can be a source of wealth, not waste,” Singh said.

In Fatehabad’s Sadhanwas village, farmer Narendra Badhiyal is leading similar efforts. Managing stubble from around 100 acres, Badhiyal uses modern farm machinery to ensure zero burning. He also motivates neighbouring farmers to adopt these techniques. During a recent visit, officials from the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department explained the government incentive schemes, including a Rs 1,000 per acre subsidy for incorporating stubble into the soil or bundling it for industrial use.

Subdivisional Agriculture Officer Dr Ajay Dhillon highlighted machinery such as the super seeder, straw baler, zero drill, paddy straw chopper, and happy seeder, stressing that stubble burning destroyed soil fertility and polluted the air.

Other local farmers like Sahab Singh Gill, Devendra Badhiyal, Amarjeet Saini, and Harish Kumar have also adopted modern crop residue management. Together, they manage about 200 acres, proving that stubble can generate income and jobs instead of smoke and waste.

Meanwhile, in Nadodi village of Fatehabad, farmer Satpal Singh, son of Mange Ram, has become another symbol of change. Since 2018, he has used government-supported machines to convert parali into bales for useful purposes. Starting with one straw baler, he managed stubble across 700 acres in the first year. By 2020, he expanded his operations with seven balers, four purchased under government subsidy, and brought together six to seven along with other farmers.

Today, Satpal’s team operates in about 20 villages across Bhuna, Tohana, and Ratia blocks, managing nearly 10,000 acres of paddy residue. They have produced around two lakh quintals of stubble bales, which are supplied to gaushalas and industries in Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. The farmers pay him a service charge of Rs 1,000 per acre for collection and processing.

His initiative has created 40 year-round jobs for local drivers, labourers, and transporters, while reducing stubble burning, air pollution and improving soil health.

Looking ahead, Satpal aims at expand his work to 20,000 acres, linking more farmers to the “waste to wealth” mission. “If the farmers use modern technology and government schemes properly, parali burning can become a thing of the past,” he said.

Officials say farmers like Ranjit Singh, Narendra Badhiyal, and Satpal Singh represent a new wave of rural entrepreneurs redefining Haryana’s agriculture. With government support and innovative thinking, Sirsa and Fatehabad are emerging as models of how sustainable stubble management can turn an environmental crisis into economic opportunity.