Haryana to promote paddy straw power to combat stubble burning

With stubble burning remaining one of the main causes of increasing pollution in the northern region, Haryana government showed its commitment to combat this problem in the state budget by promoting paddy straw based power projects. The renewable energy department had invited request for proposals from project developers for setting up paddy straw based power projects for about 50 MW capacity in six districts -- Karnal, Kurukshetra, Fatehabad, Jind, Kaithal and Ambala.

The government has also invited Request for Proposals for setting up biogas power projects of about 20 MW capacity based on cow dung poultry waste in the state. Notably, many farmers in Haryana as well as Punjab resort to stubble burning during harvesting by ignoring the warning by authorities on burning crop residue and this practice leads to rise in pollution. Farmers blamed the high cost of agricultural residue burning machinery as stumbling block in disposing of the residue. The state government has approved a new Haryana bi-energy policy 2018, which aims to create conducive environment for private sector participation in development of renewable energy projects based on biomass.

By: Dr. Vivek Rana