Punjab and Haryana managed 40 per cent of paddy straw without burning
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the two states have increased the use of crop residue in industries and power plants.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Tuesday that Punjab and Haryana have managed at least 40 per cent of their paddy straw through ex-situ methods this season. According to News18, the amount of straw being used for alternative purposes in power plants and industries has doubled since 2023.
The minister stated that the two states have achieved their target of using straw through ex-situ management, which involves using baler machines to transport straw to industries for energy generation. He noted that the government plans to increase the share of ex-situ management to at least 60 per cent by next year.
Data shared by the ministry shows Punjab has used nearly 7.89 MT of paddy straw this season in biomass power plants, industrial boilers, brick kilns, compressed biogas plants and thermal power plant co-firing. This is an increase from 3.66 MT used in 2023. In Haryana, ex-situ management rose from 1.32 MT to 2.71 MT.
Yadav said the government focused on the timely delivery of Crop Residue Machines in hotspot districts and deployed drones and flying squads for enforcement. He added that all states were required to submit advance action plans with time-bound targets to combat air pollution.
The minister also highlighted that total fire counts during paddy harvesting have declined by 93 per cent in Punjab and 91 per cent in Haryana compared to 2021. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has also started mapping burnt areas to monitor the practice.