Ten times. That's by how much stubble-burning incidents have already increased in Punjab till September 30 over the same period last year. And the state has barely entered the paddy harvesting season.
Their potato and pea crop ready, farmers in Punjab have started the banned slash-and-burn practice. Once paddy is harvested, stubble burning is bound to increase several times over.
The air quality in neighbouring land-locked New Delhi, which constantly grapples with deadly pollution from vehicles and round-the-year construction, is now in the "poor" category. This is after the national capital enjoyed the cleanest air in six years (barring 2020), courtesy a healthy monsoon.
Both the state government and the Centre are hoping this year would be different, and they have been in pro-active mode. But on the ground, farmers say not enough is being done. If they have their way, there will be no letup in stubble burning.
As the paddy procurement season kicks off on October 1, Pulwinder Mann, a 52-year-old farmer from Attari, a village in Amritsar some 3 km from the Indo-Pak border, stands hopeful. His fields, lush with shades of green and gold, signal a strong harvest. But hidden within this success is a problem that ignites both controversy and flames across Punjab, Haryana, and New Delhi — stubble burning.
This story is from the October 02, 2024 edition of Business Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 02, 2024 edition of Business Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Maverick Who Founded HBO
Charles Dolan, the pay-television pioneer who won the first cable-TV franchise in Manhattan, founded Home Box Office Inc. and later built Cablevision Systems Corp into the fifth-largest US cable company, has died. He was 98.
Antarctica, North Pole: India's elderly take to extreme travels
Travel among India's senior citizens has evolved over the years with tour agencies observing a rise in demand, especially post-pandemic for adventure and non-traditional international destinations.
Auction of 11 critical mineral blocks called off
The central government has annulled the auction of over half of the 21 critical mineral blocks offered in the fourth round of bidding, citing a poor response, according to a notification from the Ministry of Mines on the MSTC e-commerce portal.
Navi Mumbai Airport Set To Begin Commercial Ops In May 2025: AAHL
International operations to start by July next year; project expected to cost around ₹18,000 crore
Manmohan Singh's economic reforms of the 1990s
The acclaimed \"architect of India's economic reforms\" has gone, mourned by people across political parties and professions, not just economists, civil servants, and journalists.
First Mover Mantra
Why EV leader Tata Motors is thirsting for more competition despite losing market share
Build debt fund portfolio diversified across duration
Take limited exposure to longer-duration funds in coming year
Rely on rolling returns, not point-to-point data
\"Financial planning experts often argue that equity markets outperform fixed deposits over the long term. However, I can demonstrate that a 10-year investment in fixed deposits has delivered higher returns than equity markets,\" declared my friend Mitesh.
Markets Will Likely Take Cue From the Budget
The 2024-25 (FY25) October-December (Q3) quarter earnings are expected to mirror those of the second quarter (Q2), with key sectors grappling with a demand slowdown. The government's approach to the economic downturn and its priorities will become evident in the upcoming Budget, says JIMEET MODI, founder and chief executive officer of Samco Group. In an interview with Sundar Sethuraman, Modi suggests domestic markets will likely stay volatile in calendar year (CY) 2025, influenced by developments in the US markets, inflation concerns, recession risks, and interest rate decisions. Edited excerpts:
Gold, silver ETFs: Alchemists spinning wealth in 2024
Where investors find philosopher's stone, with ₹19,000 crore inflow in first 11 months of 2024
