According to official data, 9,992 reported incidents of farm fires have been recorded until May 24, with 92 per cent of these occurring in May alone
Burning wheat residue is becoming a common practice among farmers in Punjab, driven by necessity and “aesthetics”. As the seasons change in May-June, farmers prepare to plough their fields for transplanting paddy saplings. The decreased demand for wheat straw due to the declining milch cattle population is forcing farmers to burn the wheat residue.
According to official data, 9,992 reported incidents of farm fires have been recorded until May 24, with 92 per cent of these occurring in May alone. Data shows 14,511 farm fires were reported in 2022, followed by 11,355 in 2023, and 11,904 in 2024.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has remained largely silent on the issue. On-ground reports reveal that some farmers continue to burn stubble under the harsh afternoon sun and at night. Agronomists point out that the real problem lies in disrupting the entire chain from rearing milch cattle to domestic consumption of hay.
The decline in cattle and buffalo numbers, as revealed by a recent animal census, has led to a decrease in the value of hay. Compared to the previous 2019 census, cattle numbers have decreased by 2.32 lakh, while buffalo numbers have dropped by 5.22 lakh. The industry has also replaced wheat straw with paddy bales as fuel, further reducing the utility of wheat straw. As a result, burning wheat residue has become the cheaper alternative method for disposal.
A farmer from Fagan Majra village says, “Managing fields through institutional methods costs over Rs 1,000 just in diesel. Burning is far cheaper as it requires lighting the residue.”
Farmers claim that leftover wheat stubble hampers sunlight penetration and affects the crop’s nutrition and yield if not cleared before sowing paddy. They prefer a field with finely tilled soil that looks “clean and cultivated”. A commonly echoed refrain among farmers justifying the practice is: “Parali zameen ch khilri changi nahi lagdi”. However, agronomists challenge this belief, stating that incorporating residue into the soil can improve fertility and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers.
The issue lies not in the farmers’ willingness to adapt but in the practical challenges they face. For instance, transplanting paddy saplings requires puddling, a process that involves tilling the land while it is flooded with water. This process causes the lighter wheat stubble to float to the surface, where it can damage the tender saplings and require manual removal – a laborious and frustrating task.
Dr Hari Ram, Principal Agronomist (Wheat) at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), said, “There is no scientific evidence supporting the claim that wheat residue hampers the growth of paddy. In fact, incorporating the residue into the soil can improve fertility and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers.”
The demographic shift in rural Punjab, with fewer young people remaining due to migration, has reduced the labour-intensive culture of cattle rearing. Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, highlighted that the decline in cattle rearing has drastically reduced the utility of wheat straw, leading farmers to choose the quick fix of burning, which severely depletes soil nutrients.
Dr Gosal urged farmers to adopt sustainable practices like in-situ residue management, warning that continued burning would push farmers toward greater use of synthetic fertilisers, increasing input costs and damaging long-term soil health.
Some propose that direct seeding of rice (DSR) could be a solution, but it has limitations, including suitability for specific soil types and paddy varieties. Dr Jagrup Singh Sidhu suggests that better residue management can be achieved by widening the interval between harvests and sowing, aligning paddy cultivation with monsoon rains, and using late-sown and heat-tolerant wheat varieties.
Interestingly, old-timers recall that wheat straw was mixed with mud to make a mixture that was coated on roofs to make them leak-proof, showcasing the resourcefulness of previous generations.
The Tribune
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