Madhya Pradesh Faces Wheat Stubble Burning Crisis in 2025
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Stubble Burning Crisis in Madhya Pradesh |
| Date | April 2025 |
| Key Highlight | Madhya Pradesh emerged as the leading state in wheat stubble burning incidents. |
| Total Incidents | 17,534 incidents recorded in 2025 (IARI CREAMS dashboard). |
| Indore Cases | 1,240 incidents, 770 farmers fined ₹16.7 lakh. |
| Legal Action | Section 19(5) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 invoked, banning stubble burning. |
| Penalties | Up to 2 acres: ₹2,500; 2-5 acres: ₹5,000; More than 5 acres: ₹15,000. |
| Reasons for Burning | Push for summer moong cultivation, inadequate subsidy support (40% in MP vs. 80% in Punjab), delays in fertiliser access, and high costs of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines. |
| State Response | Directed local administrations to ensure machine availability and raise awareness. Anna Data Mission approved to address crop residue management, technology access, and alternative cropping. |
| Alternatives | Use of Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) machines to uproot stubble and sow seeds. |
| About Stubble Burning | Practice of burning agricultural residues post-harvest, primarily in October and November in North West India (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh). |
| Effects of Stubble Burning | Releases harmful gases (methane, carbon monoxide, VOCs), forms toxic smog, destroys soil nutrients, reduces fertility, causes moisture loss, and kills beneficial soil microbes. |