Stubble Burning Creating Chaos Poster by Raunak, 6th Standard, Swami Nitanand Global Residential School

Stubble Burning

Crop Residue Management, Stubble Burning

Burning crop residue, also known as stubble burning, is a common practice in agriculture where farmers set fire to the leftover crop residue after harvesting to clear the land for the next season’s crop. However, burning crop residue is bad for several reasons:

1. Air Pollution: Burning crop residue releases a large amount of smoke, ash, and other harmful particles into the air, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues, especially for people with existing respiratory problems such as asthma.
2. Soil degradation: Burning crop residue removes the organic matter from the soil, which is essential for maintaining soil health and fertility. This can lead to soil erosion, loss of soil structure, and a decrease in the soil’s water-holding capacity.
3. Climate change: Burning crop residue releases carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming and climate change.
4. Wildlife habitat loss: Burning crop residue destroys the habitats of many animals and insects that depend on the crop residue for shelter and food.
5. Economic loss: Crop residue burning can also lead to economic losses for farmers as it can damage crops, decrease crop yield, and reduce the quality of the produce.

In conclusion, burning crop residue is a harmful practice that should be avoided as much as possible. There are alternative methods such as using crop residue as mulch, or incorporating it back into the soil to enrich it with organic matter, which can help maintain soil health and reduce the negative impact on the environment.