Chandigarh, July 12 -- A new directive by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) mandating the use of paddy straw-based biomass pellets in brick kilns could become a game-changer in tackling North India's winter smog crisis and ending the long-standing problem of stubble burning, experts say.
As per the order, all brick kilns in Punjab and Haryana-both within and outside the National Capital Region (NCR)-must begin co-firing with paddy straw pellets. The policy will be implemented in phases: 20% pellet use by November 1, 2025, rising to 50% by 2028.
The idea of using pelletized paddy straw emerged from the Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PSPCB), under former chairman Adarsh Pal Vig. "Our research confirmed that up to 20% c...