Union agriculture and farmers welfare ministry has instructed all zonal agriculture directors of Uttar Pradesh to comply with the national policy for management of crop residues (NPMCR) in order to curb the burning of crop stubble in the fields during post-harvest season. The practice by farmers in Haryana and Punjab led to the worst air day in Delhi and NCR in 17 years.

From a letter, additional secretary in the ministry, “This practice of burning biomass has intensified in the recent years, causing loss of nutrients and elevated soil temperature impacting on soil properties, particularly beneficial soil organisms, in a negative way. Apart from this, the burning of crop residue has become a potential source of green house gases.”