Punjab stubble burning FIRs spark call for equal enforcement on industry

Punjab is booking farmers for stubble burning, and a new commentary in The Tribune argues that the state should show the same urgency toward industrial polluters. The piece does not excuse burning crop residue. It says enforcement, evidence-based controls and environmental justice should apply equally to farms and factories.

The contrast it draws is sharp. Farm fires are spotted by satellite and followed by prosecution. Communities near polluting industries, by comparison, often wage long legal battles just to get regulators to act and fix responsibility. The author says this gap weakens the fairness and the credibility of the state's environmental policy.

The commentary also pushes for a wider look at where the pollution comes from. It cites a Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy study on Punjab's vehicles, which found that poorly maintained, high-emitting vehicles make up roughly 11-28% of the fleet but account for over 70% of vehicular emissions. For Delhi, it cites estimates that attribute more than 38% of particulate matter to vehicles, about 11% to coal-based power plants and 8% to construction. Some assessments put crop burning at around 1.3% of the city's particulate levels. The author also says that where agencies such as CAQM and CEEW report different trends in farm fires, authorities should explain the differences openly.

On cost, the argument is practical. Managing stubble can run above Rs 20,000 per acre in some cases, covering machinery, labour, diesel and transport, with the figure varying by location and method. The piece says that unless affordable, workable alternatives are on offer, penalties alone will struggle to change behaviour.

The industrial examples include the April 2023 Giaspura gas tragedy in Ludhiana, which killed 11 people and, according to the author, has yet to see anyone prosecuted. It also names the Malbros distillery case in Zira, where villagers protested over pollution allegations and the matter is still pending. The author lists Buddha Nullah, Tung Dhab and Kali Bein as further pressure points. The piece adds that these cases differ in circumstance and legal status. It is wrong to presume every operator guilty, or to assume no action has ever been taken.

The agricultural half of the argument is where the optimistic opening lies. Punjab's rice area expanded from about 11.83 lakh hectares in 1980 to 28.98 lakh hectares in 2016-17, and alternatives like cotton, maize and pulses have found it hard to match paddy's economics. Cotton belts have also seen pest outbreaks and crop failures. The commentary's answer is better seeds, technical support, dependable markets, remunerative prices and procurement that cushions the risk of switching. Without these, it says, diversification remains a slogan. It also cautions that crop-residue processing plants need investment, energy, transport and viable product markets before they can be treated as a fix.

For markets and rural India, the takeaway is that a credible clean-air plan may depend on matching farm-side support with factory-side accountability. Read the original commentary at The Tribune.

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