What ails Punjab’s environment

Bathinda: Multiple challenges confront Punjab on the environmental front, ranging from depleting underground water table to crop residue burning and contamination of surface water to burgeoning plastic waste. In the state that aims to look towards sustainable agriculture model and is pacing up its efforts to generate clean energy resources, there are various issues demanding attention of the authorities.
Some steps are surely being taken towards sustainability, but these are inadequate, feel environmentalists.
Among the major causes of concern is the depleting water table in the state. Punjab’s lopsided agriculture model is fast drying up the water resources. The groundwater resources assessment in November 2022 points towards water scarcity as Punjab is extracting 166% of its extractable groundwater resources with 76% of its blocks turning overexploited. The situation is turning worst as paddy is sown on more than 30 lakh hectares. As per agriculture experts, nearly 5,000 litre water is pumped to grow 1kg rice. Environmentalists opine that there is a dire need to cut paddy cultivation to half through diversification or Punjab could turn towards desertification in next two decades.
Then comes stubble burning, which remains the core issue after the paddy harvest. The Centre had in 2018 started providing funds for crop residue management. The state has received Rs 1,387 crore since then with which subsidy ranging from 50% to 80% has been provided for over 1 lakh CRM machines.
Next is contamination of surface water in the state, where water quality drops from “A category” to “D category” as the water channels reach border districts such as Fazilka and Ferozepur. Sullage, sewage, and industrial effluent enter the waterbodies in the absence of sufficient treatment plants.
What’s state doing about it
Turning towards clean energy sources, Punjab has set up 60 solar power plants generating little over 800MW electricity while more more are in offing. It also has four canal-top solar plants, while 42 biomass, compressed biogas, and bio-ethanol projects either have come up or are in offing.
State’s renewable energy minister Aman Arora says they are promoting clean energy sources. As per Punjab Pollution Control Board chairperson Adarsh Pal Vig, two pellet manufacturing units have also started operations and a nod has been given to four others. A number of individuals and organisations have lately started looking into green issues as was first witnessed in the case of a proposed textile park near Mattewara.