CHANDIGARH, June 4 – In a significant move to reduce air pollution caused by stubble burning, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to mandate the use of biomass pellets and briquettes made from paddy straw in all brick kilns located outside the National Capital Region (NCR).
The commission underscored the urgency of addressing pollution triggered by open-field burning of paddy residue, which annually contributes to a severe decline in air quality across Delhi-NCR, particularly in the post-harvest months of October and November.
“The use of pellets in industrial boilers is an ex-situ method of managing paddy stubble — removing the straw from fields and utilising it as fuel in boilers,” CAQM noted in its order.
Paddy straw burning is widely practiced across Punjab and Haryana due to the narrow sowing window between the rice harvest and wheat planting. The commission has been working with states since its formation in 2021 to promote sustainable alternatives.
Punjab alone generates nearly 190 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually from about 31.5 lakh hectares of cultivation. A large portion of this biomass is burned in fields, significantly contributing to winter smog and pollution in northern India.
Despite the directive, brick kiln operators say implementation is far from straightforward. “Availability of pellets is scanty and it’s difficult to meet the 20% fuel replacement target set by CAQM,” said a spokesperson for the Brick Kiln Owners’ Association in Punjab, adding that government support is essential to cap pellet prices and regulate quality.
Punjab is home to roughly 2,800 brick kilns, while only 16 pellet plants are currently operational in the state — far from sufficient to meet surging demand from both kilns and thermal plants.
To address these gaps, the Punjab government has presented an action plan, including ₹80 crore earmarked for subsidising machinery for in-situ crop residue management and ₹300 crore for ex-situ measures like setting up new pellet manufacturing facilities.
Officials from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) said steps are being taken to scale up pellet production to fulfill fuel needs across industrial sectors.
