Chadha proposes ₹2.5K per acre to curb stubble burning
NEW DELHI: AAP Rajya Sabha MP, Raghav Chadha, proposed a financial initiative aimed at addressing the issue of stubble burning and air pollution in North India. Speaking in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Chadha suggested that the Central government provide Rs 2,500 per acre in assistance to farmers to manage stubble, which has been a major contributor to air pollution in the region.
Chadha emphasised that the issue of air pollution, particularly in North India, is a multifaceted problem. “With every breath, we are unknowingly inhaling the equivalent of numerous cigarettes and ‘bidis.’ Air pollution isn’t just Delhi’s problem; it’s a crisis affecting the entire region,” Chadha said. He pointed out that cities such as Bhagalpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Agra face far worse pollution than Delhi, but the blame for stubble burning is unfairly placed on farmers.
Chadha reiterated that stubble burning is not the sole cause of the region’s pollution, citing an IIT study. “No farmer deliberately or willingly burns stubble. They do it out of sheer compulsion,” he added. The MP also highlighted that while Punjab has seen a remarkable 70 per cent reduction in stubble burning under AAP’s leadership, other states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have reported an increase in such incidents.
Chadha, from Punjab, noted that rice farming is not the state’s staple. “Punjab adopted paddy farming to address food grain shortages, but it has come at a great cost,” he said, highlighting severe water depletion and soil degradation. Despite this, farmers have no choice but to burn stubble after harvesting paddy to prepare fields for the next crop.To provide a short-term solution, Chadha proposed that the central government contribute Rs 2,000 per acre, while the state government would cover the remaining Rs 500. “If we provide farmers in Punjab and Haryana Rs 2,500 per acre as immediate financial assistance to manage stubble, no farmer will burn it,” he said.
Looking ahead, Chadha also called for long-term measures, including promoting crop diversification away from paddy to crops like maize, cotton, pulses, and oilseeds. “While we talk a lot about AI (Artificial Intelligence), we also need to talk about AQI (Air Quality Index),” he emphasised, calling for more comprehensive solutions.
