The Haryana
Cabinet has unveiled a paddy stubble management policy aimed at utilising paddy
straw for sustainable energy and completely curbing crop residue burning
practices by 2027.
The “Haryana
Ex-Situ Management of Paddy Straw Policy 2023” is aimed at harnessing paddy
straw for sustainable energy and eliminating crop residue burning by 2027, said
an official statement after a meeting of the cabinet, which was held under the
chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
The policy
provides a framework for attracting private investment in paddy straw-based
projects while encouraging farmers to engage in responsible practices,
establishing a robust linkage between farmers and industries.
The State Government
is dedicated to providing crop residue management (CRM) machines to farmers at
a subsidy, with 19,141 lakh machines already sanctioned to the farming
community. An area of 940 lakh acres has been registered for incentives of Rs
1,000 per acre.
This commitment is
reflected in the recent notification issued on October 30, 2023, introducing
the “Haryana Ex-situ Management of Paddy Straw 2023” scheme.
Haryana Chief
Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said 90 per cent of paddy harvesting in the State has
been completed, and it is actively bolstering its measures to combat stubble
burning.
During a virtual
meeting convened by Union Cabinet Secretary Kaushal, he highlighted the
government’s relentless efforts to curtail stubble burning and proactively
minimise fire incidents, thus reducing air pollution in the National Capital
Region (NCR).
Providing insights
into the government’s endeavours, he disclosed that Haryana cultivates 36.5
lakh acres of paddy, comprising 18.36 lakh acres of basmati cultivation and
approximately 18.2 lakh acres of non-basmati cultivation.
Sanjeev Kaushal noted
the State Government’s vigilance over the Air Quality Index and its stringent
measures to further reduce paddy straw burning.
There has been a
38 per cent reduction in stubble-burning incidents in 2023 compared to the
previous year, with a substantial 57 per cent reduction observed in the last
two years.
Furthermore, the
state government has taken steps such as issuing instructions to hold Deputy
Commissioners and Station House Officers liable for not controlling these
fires.
The government has
taken strict action against individuals responsible for farm fires, issuing 1,256
challans with fines totaling over Rs 32.55 lakh and filing 72 FIRs related to
farm fires. A total of 44 farm fire instances were extinguished.
Kaushal said the Haryana
Government has imposed restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs
(4-wheelers) in the Gurugram and Faridabad districts with immediate effect
until November 30 or until the revocation of GRAP Stage III by the Commission
on Air Quality Management, whichever occurs earlier (excluding vehicles
deployed in emergency services, police vehicles, and government vehicles used
for Enforcement).
Violators found
using BS-III Petrol and BS-IV Diesel LMVs (4-wheelers) in these districts will
face prosecution under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Regarding the
fixation of hologram-based colour stickers on vehicles registered in NCR
districts, he said that approximately 10 lakh vehicles have been colour-coded
in NCR districts between November 14, 2018, and January 31, 2023.
He reiterated the State
Government’s commitment to eliminating unsustainable practices like paddy straw
stubble burning, emphasising support for farmers through a subsidy of Rs 600
crore for adopting various stubble management practices.
The use of Pusa
Bio Decomposer on over 5 lakh acres through CSR initiatives further
demonstrates this commitment.
Haryana’s
comprehensive strategy includes both in-situ and ex-situ management, with a
focus on categorising villages into red, yellow, and green zones based on
active fire incidents.
The State Government
is dedicated to providing crop residue management (CRM) machines to farmers at
a subsidy, with 19141 lakh machines already sanctioned to the farming
community. An area of 940 lakh acres has been registered for incentives of Rs 1,000
per acre.
This commitment is
reflected in the recent notification issued on October 30, 2023, introducing
the “Haryana Ex-situ Management of Paddy Straw, 2023” scheme.
This initiative
aims to ensure the assured and adequate supply of paddy straw to biomass-based
projects, thereby reducing stubble burning and promoting environmentally
conscious agriculture.
The projected
industrial utilisation of 13.54 lakh metric tonnes of paddy straw for the
current year further underscores the state government’s efforts in this
direction.
ANI
