Biogas Plants to Tackle Stubble Burning [UPSC Current Affairs]

The Indian government plans to establish around 500 biogas plants across the country in the current fiscal year (2023-24). This initiative aims to address the issue of stubble burning, which contributes to air pollution. The implementation of biogas plants is expected to reduce pollution and promote sustainable agriculture practices. In this article, you can read more about how biogas plants can help mitigate stubble burning and what the government is doing in this regard. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam environment and ecology segment.

The Problem of Stubble Burning & How Biogas Plants Can Help

Stubble burning refers to the practice of setting fire to the leftover straw stubble after harvesting crops like wheat and paddy. 

• This process significantly worsens air pollution, especially in northern states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Agricultural fires in the northwestern states contribute to more than 90% of India’s fire-related exposure increase. Punjab alone accounts for 64%, followed by Haryana (11%) and Uttar Pradesh (5.7%).

Read more on stubble burning in the linked article.

The Role of Biogas Plants:

• Utilizing Crop Stubbles: The proposed biogas plants will utilise crop stubbles collected from fields after harvest as a raw material for producing gas.
• The SATAT Scheme: The Centre’s SATAT scheme encourages the establishment of compressed biogas plants to supply fuel to auto fuel retailers such as Indian Oil Corp. This scheme is emerging as a successful model.
• Financial Support: The government has allocated ₹10,000 crores to build these 500 biogas plants, and entrepreneurs also have the option to set them up without government aid.

Benefits and Implications:

• Environmental Impact: Biogas plants help reduce stubble burning, which contributes to climate change and air pollution. This leads to a decrease in health costs and the disruption of economic activities caused by poor air quality.
• Transition to Sustainable Energy: Compressed biogas reduces fossil fuel consumption, thereby cutting down the carbon footprint of the economy.
• Agricultural Advantages: By recycling agricultural waste, biogas plants mitigate the need for manual collection, making the process more cost-effective. Baler machines have played a crucial role in enabling the recycling of agricultural waste.
• Circular Economy and Waste Management: The government’s ‘waste to wealth’ scheme, along with the biogas plants, promotes a circular economy and effective waste management practices.

The Way Forward:

• Health and Economic Concerns: Stubble burning emits fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which poses health risks. The cost of air pollution caused by stubble burning in India is projected to be $30 billion annually.
• Environmental Consequences: Burning crop residue leads to the loss of essential nutrients in the soil, impacting agricultural productivity and organic carbon levels.
• Energy Independence: Promoting alternative fuels and electric mobility reduces India’s dependence on crude oil imports, thus addressing financial concerns and stimulating economic growth.

Conclusion:

• The establishment of biogas plants presents a sustainable solution to combat stubble burning and reduce air pollution. 
• This initiative aligns with the government’s efforts to promote alternative energy sources and improve waste management practices. 
• By embracing such initiatives, India can move closer to achieving its goals of environmental sustainability, energy independence, and a healthier future for its citizens.

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