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Punjab agriculture supported by input and output price structure and superior yields of rice and wheat compared to other crops has virtually become a rice-wheat monoculture. The rice-wheat cycle has led to over exploitation of ground water resources in the state. Use of combined harvester has further exacerbated the problem of crop residue management as it leaves behind a large amount of rice residue to be burnt in the open fields. This study brings the problem of agriculture waste burning in the forefront. It tries to enumerate the amount of pollution being caused by rice residue burning and its adverse impact on human health.

Burning of farm waste causes severe pollution of land and water on local as well as regional scales. It is estimated that burning of paddy straw results in nutrient losses viz., 3.85 million tonnes of organic carbon, 59,000 t of nitrogen, 20,000 t of phosphorus and 34,000 t of potassium. This also adversely affects the nutrient budget in the soil. It results in the emission of smoke which if added to the gases present in the air like methane, nitrogen oxide and ammonia, can cause severe atmospheric pollution. These gaseous emissions can result in health risk, aggravating asthma, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Burning of crop residue also contributes indirectly to the increased ozone pollution. The chapter puts forth literature on various aspects of residue generated on the field, chemical composition of the residue, volume of pollution caused by residue burning, adverse impact of burning on human and animal health and various ways of crop stubble management.

This chapter measures the value of health effects of air pollution for the Indian rural Punjab, where air pollution problem occurs from crop residue burning. Consumer choice model is used to get the monetary estimates of reduced air pollution level to the safe level. The chapter uses data of 625 individuals collected from a household level survey conducted in three villages in Indian Punjab for 150 households. To obtain the monetary values, Tobit and Poisson models are used to estimate mitigation expenditure and workdays lost equations, respectively. Total annual welfare loss in terms of health damages due to air pollution caused by the burning of rice straw in rural Punjab amounts to Rs 76 millions. If one also accounts for expenses on averting activities, productivity loss due to illness, monetary value of discomfort and utility and additional fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation, the losses would be much higher.

Keeping in view the increasing problems associated with crop stubble burning in the state of Punjab, several initiatives for its proper management have been taken up. Various departments and institutions of the Punjab government are promoting alternative uses of straw instead of burning. This chapter outlines some of these alternative uses such as: use of rice residue as fodder; use of rice residue in bio-thermal power plants; its use for mushroom cultivation, for bedding material for cattle; its use for production of bio-oil; paper production; bio-gas and in situ. Other uses include incorporation of paddy straw in soil, energy technologies and thermal combustion.

India is a legislation rich country with reference to pollution. Eleven major laws exist to control pollution in India and many forums for their implementation in various ways. Under these laws, provisions are made to protect the environment from all kinds of pollution related to industrial and agricultural activities. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) is entrusted with the functions of planning a comprehensive program for the prevention, control and abatement of pollution in Punjab. PPCB has to support and encourage developments in the field of pollution control. PPCB has taken various measures to limit the amount of industrial pollution in the state but not much has been done to address agricultural pollution ().

This chapter highlights policies of the Punjab government to address crop stubble burning. Various departments like Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab Farmers Commission etc., are all making efforts to devise some alternate economic uses of rice stubble. Punjab government is also providing subsidy to the farmers to promote the use of equipments which help in checking the burning of crop residues. Similarly, Punjab Energy Development Agency is promoting non-conventional and renewable energy projects in the state that use crop waste as raw material.

Burning of farm waste causes severe pollution of land and water on local as well as regional scale. The off-field impacts are related to human health due to general air quality degradation resulting in aggravation of respiratory (like cough, asthma, bronchitis), eye and skin diseases. This study finds that total annual welfare loss in terms of health damages due to air pollution caused by the burning of paddy straw in rural Punjab amounts to Rs. 76 million. These estimates could be much higher if expenses on averting activities, productivity loss due to illness, monetary value of discomfort and utility could also be considered. To avoid burning of rice (and wheat) stubble, management of agricultural waste for alternate uses is being practiced and promoted. Various departments and institutions are promoting alternative uses of straw instead of burning, e.g., rice residue as fodder, crop residue in bio thermal power plants and mushroom cultivation, rice residue used as bedding material for cattle, production of bio-oil, paper production, bio-gas and in-situ. Other uses include incorporation of paddy straw in soil, energy technologies and its use in thermal combustion for generation of electricity.