There seems to be no other way for the farmers to dispose the stubble other than setting it on fire. It seems to be unaffordable for the farmers to dispose the paddy residue in a sustainable manner. All photographs by Vikas Choudhary
Air

Despite desperate measures, stubble burning continues to fan the fire of air pollution menace

For farmers in Punjab and Haryana, burning paddy stubble remains the only viable solution and this year is no exception

Vikas Choudhary

When it comes to stubble burning, the innovations and curbs devised in Delhi seem to have a hard time reaching farmers in Punjab and Haryana.

Despite a host of measures to curb the stubble burning menace in the two agrarian states, the whiff of burning vegetation continues to be felt in the capital's air.

The stagnant air in Delhi often traps this smoke which mixes with the vehicular emissions and results in a smoggy ambience,

Heavy fines have been announced for farmers who are caught burning their paddy stubble but the sheer scale of the crisis makes it difficult to book the offenders.

Marginal farmers with small land holdings often leave the stubble in the fields and plough the soil with the stubble which increases its organic carbon content.