Effects & Alternatives Of Stubble Burning

How frequently do we witness heaps of dried crops burning on the fields towards the end of a crop cycle? These burning crops aren't the result of intentional fire or an accident; instead, it's a practize known as stump-burning. They are primarily performed on the leftovers from the harvest of crops like rice and wheat. Most often, stubble-burning is observed in northern Indian states like Punjab, Haryana, etc. After harvesting their rice, many farmers burn the remaining plant matter in order to switch between crops. The main reason for doing it is to alternate between rice and wheat crops.

In the past, Stubble-burning was done to allow farmers to plant two different kinds of crops on the same piece of ground, so increasing their yield and income. Compared to other removal techniques, it is easier and less expensive. Even though it is thought to be slightly dangerous, it is nevertheless regarded acceptable in some parts of the world, although in very small amounts. For instance, 5% of Stubble-burning is permitted in some Canadian provinces, but Punjab in India has outlawed the practise entirely due to rising pollution levels in the country's northern provinces and a number of forest fires that Stubble-burning has caused.

Burning of Stubble's Effects on the Environment:
Everyone is concerned about the negative environmental effects of stump burning, including the authorities. It not only has the potential to affect nearby animals, but it also contributes to air pollution as a source of toxic pollutants such carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and other harmful gases that have been linked to it. Over 32 million tones of stubble are thought to be produced annually in India, according to a science direct article.

Most Indian cities, particularly those in the National Capital Region, face extreme pollution throughout the winter months of October to December, with air quality index levels frequently reaching severe levels.

Stubble burning not only degrades the quality of the air, but it also degrades the quality of the soil by reducing its fertility and destroying the nutrients that give the soil its fertility. Aside from that, these fires could also spread quickly or result in arson, which has reportedly already happened in the state of Punjab and is the reason it is forbidden.

Burning of Stubble's Effects on Agriculture
1. Nutrient losses
2. Smoke pollution, which includes greenhouse gases and other substances that harm the ozone layer.
3. Damage caused by floating threads of conductive trash to electrical and electronic equipment
4. Possibility of out-of-control flames
In addition to being bad for the environment, burning straw has a big impact on agriculture. It has a number of detrimental consequences on agriculture, some of which are listed below:

Nutrients lost:
The nutrients in the soil are reduced once the crop residue has burned.

Smoke-related pollution Gases that harm the ozone layer, such as greenhouse gases:
Any form of pollution will eventually get to the ozone layer and influence it, but because stump-burning is done so frequently, its impact is greater than that of any other type of pollution.

Damage caused by floating threads of conductive trash to electrical and electronic equipment:
The ashes and dust particles that are released when the leftover residual is burned are dangerous not only to individuals who live close but also to the surrounding wires and poles, and they may even cause a short circuit or damage those cables.

Risk of uncontrolled fires spreading:
No matter how many precautions you take, you will still be performing it on a farm, the one where dried leaves and crops are still present. You never know when a small fire of stubble burning can get out of control and turn into a large pit of flames.

Burning of Stubble's Effects on Humans:
Burning leaves behind a toxic residue that is bad for people's health as well as the environment. According to reports, people of all ages who live close to the impacted areas have been experiencing various diseases or symptoms for the past couple of years. These symptoms include wheezing, shortness with exercise, morning and nighttime coughs, skin rashes, runny noses, itchy eyes, etc.
The only explanation for it would be the pollution that results from stubble burning when it is exposed to the general public, including some people, particularly children, the elderly, women, and those who already have health difficulties. The negative effects of stubble-burning might include everything from skin infections to eye discomfort. Additionally, long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause lung conditions such emphysema, cancer, lung capacity loss, bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In conclusion, burning sticks is not good for human health and has negative effects on human health.

Why is the practise of burning stubs still going on
Despite the numerous drawbacks, stubble burning is still practized in India, particularly in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and others. The main reason for this is that the farmers are so used to to this practise that it is all they are aware of. They also continue to alternate between growing rice and wheat because they want to increase their incomes.
Adapting to change is challenging for them, and on top of that, they struggle to learn and practise current eco-friendly residue management techniques because all of the farmers are so accustomed to their traditional practises that they struggle to adopt new ones.