The Centre has proposed a stricter mechanism to curb stubble burning, including a 15-month ‘red entry’ in the land records of farmers whose fields are found involved in crop-residue burning. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh’s Delhi-NCR air pollution action plan was discussed by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow, ahead of the winter pollution season.
The draft rules issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change propose replacing the existing Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) framework introduced in 2023 and amended in 2024. The proposed system would apply to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and the National Capital Region (NCR) areas of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Under the proposed framework, a field where stubble burning is detected would be placed in the ‘red category’ for 15 months, with a corresponding ‘red entry’ recorded in the land revenue records. The draft, however, does not specify all the consequences of such an entry. But reports say that these may include restrictions on access to certain government schemes, restrictions on land transactions and, potentially, limitations on registration for selling produce at designated mandis under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system. The exact consequences are expected to be clarified when the rules are finalised.
The red-category period could be extended by another 15 months if stubble burning is detected again on the same land or if the farmer fails to pay the environmental compensation within the prescribed period.
The draft retains the penalty compensation rates introduced in 2024. Farmers found responsible for residue burning would face a fine of Rs 5,000 for land below two acres, Rs 10,000 for two to five acres and Rs 30,000 for land exceeding five acres. If the penalty is not paid within 30 days, it can be recovered as arrears of land revenue.
The government has invited stakeholder comments and suggestions before finalising the rules. The environmental compensation collected would be transferred to the concerned State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee and could be used for crop-residue management machinery, biomass storage and utilisation, crop diversification, research and farmer awareness.
Meanwhile, during the Uttar Pradesh review meeting, Yadav stressed accelerated implementation and stronger coordination among agencies to reduce pollution before winter. On stubble burning, he asked the state government to bridge gaps in the availability of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery and intensify farmer training and information campaigns on its use.
The minister also reviewed measures related to road dust, electric mobility, industrial emissions, construction and demolition waste, municipal waste and biomass burning. He called for faster deployment of electric buses and charging stations, better road cleaning, installation of emission monitoring systems and improved management of old vehicles.