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From Fields to Atmosphere: Understanding the Dangers of Stubble Burning on Environment and Public Health

Rajib Majumder
Department of Zoology, Vivekananda Mahavidyalaya, Haripal, Hooghly 712405, WB, India.
OrchideID Icon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3404-8398

Published online: 17th December, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52756/boesd.2023.e02.003

Keywords: Crop residue, agricultural fires, smog, air pollutants, soil fertility, health hazards.

Abstract:

There has been a tremendous change in the agriculture sector, with a huge increase in production since the Green Revolution. Currently, agricultural activities occur throughout the year instead of being confined to a season. A marvelous success has been achieved in cereal crop production. Usually, right after paddy harvesting in the post-monsoon period (October-November), a short time gap becomes available to the farmers for the next crop to be sown. Combine harvesters or other forms of mechanical harvesters are used nowadays instead of traditional harvesting, which makes grain collection quite easier, quicker, and comparatively inexpensive but generates huge crop residues or stubble. Then, farmers rush for stubble burning to clear fields quickly for the next crop cycle. Such intentional burnings result in the formation of smog, the release of particulate matter, greenhouse gases, and other air pollutants, the raising of soil temperature, which kills soil microorganisms, and the loss of soil fertility. Additionally, stubble burning poses severe health hazards to the people residing there and causes eye irritation, and skin disease, and accelerates respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Above all, stubble burning and all these ultimately affect economic activities, education, and tourism as well. So, proper crop residue management is a need of the present. Implementation of mechanized farming techniques, use of bio-decomposers, innovative approaches like the use of stubble for composting, mulching, biofuel production, fodder, etc.; crop diversification; mass campaigning; collaboration among stakeholders; financial assistance by the government to the farmers; and strict vigilance and enforcement against agricultural fires can reduce the incidents of stubble burning.

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A Basic Overview of Environment and Sustainable Development [Volume: 2]

How to Cite
Rajib Majumder (2023). From Fields to Atmosphere: Understanding the Dangers of Stubble Burning on Environment and Public Health© International Academic Publishing House (IAPH), Shubhadeep Roychoudhury, Tanmay Sanyal, Koushik Sen & Sudipa Mukherjee Sanyal(eds.), A Basic Overview of Environment and Sustainable Development[Volume: 2],pp. 49-64. ISBN:978-81-962683-8-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52756/boesd.2023.e02.003

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