Long term influence of groundwater preservation policy on stubble burning and air pollution over North-West India

Stubble burning (SB) has been a major source of seasonal aerosol loading and pollution over northern India. The aftereffects of groundwater preservation act i.e., post 2010 era (2011–2020) has seen delay in crop harvesting thereby shifting the peak SB to May (Wheat SB) and to November (Paddy SB) by 8–10 and 10–12 days compared to pre-2010. Groundwater storage depletion rate of 29.2 mm yr−1 was observed over the region. Post 2010 era shows an increase of 1.4% in wheat SB and 21% in Paddy SB fires over Punjab and Haryana with 70% of PM2.5 air mass clusters (high probability > 0.8) advecting to the downwind regions leading to 23–26% increase in PM2.5 and 4–6% in aerosol loading over National Capital Region (NCR). Although the objective of water conservation policy was supposed to preserve the groundwater by delaying the paddy transplantation and sowing, on the contrary the implementation of this policy has seen groundwater storage after 2013 depleting at a rate of 29.2 mmyr−1 over these regions. Post policy implementation has led to shift and shrinking of harvest window with increased occurrences in SB fires which also increase associated particulate matter pollution over North India.