Air quality to worsen in Delhi-NCR as stubble burning season begins
The situation will worsen post-monsoon, with daily stubble-burning incidents expected to increase in October.
Delhi is infamously known around the world for its bad air quality; the situation of the air is about to worsen as the experts have warned of the surge in stubble burning from October. Meanwhile, the stubble-burning season has officially arrived with 124 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between September 15 and 23, as per the satellite data.
Stubble burning has been a major cause of air pollution in North India. The government has been actively trying to counter it, but despite all the bans, it has failed to control the burning.
The data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, which follows protocols set by the Commission for Air Quality Management, highlights that Punjab remains the major contributor with the highest number of farm fires at 69; second on the list is Haryana with 46, followed by Madhya Pradesh with six, and Uttar Pradesh with three.
The smoke from the stubble burning masks the whole National Capital and the surrounding reasons every year, adding more elements of toxicity to the pre-toxic smog of Delhi.
Need for early intervention
According to Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment “It is important to intervene at this early stage of the crop burning season to ensure that both in situ and ex situ solutions are in place for targeted implementation to minimise the problem. The scale of implementation is critical to control this problem. This requires an immediate audit of the infrastructure and systems in place to identify the gaps to guide action.”
Current air condition
For now, the air quality in Delhi is not bothered by stubble burning. But if you can still see a blanket of smog covering the parts of your surroundings, be ready for the worst.
An official assured that westerly winds are currently blowing, which resists the smoke from entering the city. However, the situation will worsen post-monsoon, with daily stubble-burning incidents expected to increase in October. The peak of burning typically occurs in the first half of November, with daily fires often exceeding 3,000, ET reported.
Stubble-burning cases of previous years
Last year, as many as 39,186 farm fires were reported across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan between September 15 and November 30. This number is much smaller compared to 52,992 fires in 2022 and 78,550 in 2021.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, informed that while the cases recorded last year were comparatively fewer, their impact on air quality was still considerable due to specific meteorological conditions.
The government must take early action in stubble burning, as eventually the cases will rise and the air quality will be compromised. The farmers should be educated about the alternatives to burning, like mulching, biodecomposers, composting, and many others. The actions should be taken on the ground level, not just in the papers.
