Chandigarh, June 4 -- In a step aimed at curbing air pollution from crop residue burning, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued fresh directives to the state governments of Punjab and Haryana, mandating the use of paddy straw-based biomass pellets and briquettes as fuel in all brick kilns located beyond the National Capital Region (NCR). In its order issued on Tuesday, CAQM emphasised the urgent need to control pollution caused by the open burning of paddy stubble, particularly in the wake of its severe impact on air quality in Delhi-NCR during the post-harvest months. Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution in the NCR in October and November. As the window for rabi crop wheat is very short after the paddy harvest, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly get rid of crop residue for sowing of the next crop. "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," the commission stated. Since its inception in 2021, the commission has been engaging with state governments and key stakeholders to identify sustainable alternatives to stubble burning, which is widely practiced by farmers due to the narrow window between the paddy harvest and wheat sowing season. Currently, Punjab produces around 190 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually across approximately 31.5 lakh hectares of paddy cultivation. A significant portion of this biomass is traditionally set ablaze in the fields, contributing to a sharp spike in air pollution levels across northern India. However, implementing CAQM's directive remains a challenge on the ground. Punjab has approximately 2,800 brick kilns, and owners report serious difficulties in sourcing sufficient quantities of biomass pellets. Many are calling for government intervention to cap prices and ensure quality standards. "Availability of pellets is scanty and it's difficult to meet the 20% fuel replacement target set by CAQM," said a representative of the Brick Kiln Owners' Association in Punjab. To support the transition, the Punjab government has submitted an action plan allocating Rs.80 crore for subsidising machinery to support in-situ stubble management and an additional Rs.300 crore for ex-situ efforts, including the establishment of new pellet manufacturing units. Currently, only 16 pellet plants are operational in the state, far from adequate to meet growing industrial demand. Officials from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) stated that efforts are underway to expand pellet production to meet both brick kiln and thermal power plant requirements....