Stubble burning in India has multidimensional consequences. Environmentally, it releases particulate matter and greenhouse gases, reduces soil fertility, and harms biodiversity. Health-wise, it causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, eye irritation, and skin problems. Economically, while it saves farmers time and labor in the short term, it degrades soil, reduces crop yields, raises healthcare costs, and affects transport and tourism. Socially, it can trigger public health crises ... Stubble burning in Punjab decreased by 20% this year, signalling positive progress despite a recent spike in fire counts. Stubble burning in Northern India has emerged as a critical environmental and health crisis, driven by agricultural practices from the Green Revolution. Factors such as labour shortages, increased mechanization with combine harvesters, limited time for crop preparation and low utilization of crop residues as animal feed contribute to this widespread practice. Annually, approximately 178 million tons of crop residues remain unutilized, causing soil degradation and severe air pollution ... Every winter, as the familiar haze of stubble burning cloaks our cities, the public discourse turns to smog, masks, and air purifiers. But while we’re busy blaming the smoke, a far deadlier, invisible pollutant quietly poisons our air, soil, and even our bloodstream, electronic waste. “Every ...
