In an effort to address the issue of stubble burning and the resulting air pollution during winters, the Indian government has introduced new regulations that require all coal-based thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR and nearby regions to use a minimum of 5% blend of pellets or briquettes made from crop residue along with coal for power generation.

The rules, which were notified on Tuesday, impose penalties on power plants that fail to comply, starting from the 2024-25 period. Additionally, the rules empower the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission or the State Regulatory Commissions to determine tariffs under the Electricity Act, 2003, considering the mandatory utilization of crop residues in power plants.

These regulations, known as the Environment (Utilisation of Crop Residue by Thermal Power Plants) Rules, 2023, are the latest policy intervention aimed at addressing the issue of stubble burning. The Ministry of Agriculture had previously revised its crop residue management guidelines to establish pilot projects for the paddy straw supply chain, with the goal of implementing more effective and efficient stubble management practices in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.