Haryana State PCS

• 28 Aug 2024

Tiger ST-2303 in Jhabua

Why in News?

Recently, Tiger ST-2303 has wandered from Sariska Tiger Reserve to the dense forests of Jhabua in Rewari, Haryana.

Key Points

• Jhabua forest, rich in prey like nilgai and wild boar, provides the tiger with an abundant food source and dense cover, making it challenging for forest officials to capture or relocate him.
  • The tiger's presence near villages has raised safety concerns and fear of potential human-wildlife conflict.
  • Forest officials are coordinating with counterparts in Rajasthan to safely return the tiger to Sariska.
• The Sariska Tiger Foundation has urged the Union Minister of Environment to ensure the tiger's return to its original habitat, amidst concerns of possible relocation to another reserve.
  • This incident highlights the importance of protecting wildlife corridors between Sariska and the Haryana Aravalis for future tiger migrations.

Sariska Tiger Reserve

• Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Aravali hills and forms a part of the Alwar District of Rajasthan.
• It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and was declared as a tiger reserve later in 1978, making it a part of India's Project Tiger.
• It encompasses ruined temples, forts, pavilions and a palace.
  • Kankarwadi Fort is located in the centre of the reserve.
  • It is said that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh at this fort in the struggle for succession to the throne.

Haryana Plan for Reduction in Farm Fires

Why in News?

Recently, The government of Haryana has developed a framework to make use of all the leftover stubble after the harvesting of paddy crops.

• This initiative aims to reduce the occurrence of farm fires, which contribute to the hazardous air pollution in northern India during the onset of winter every year.

Key Points

• The agriculture department has estimated that 38.8 lakh acres of farmland across Haryana will be utilized for the cultivation of paddy in 2024. These crops are projected to generate 81 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of residues.
  • The residue, or straw, that remains after farmers harvest paddy is what they end up burning to quickly clear the land for another round of sowing.
• The state government is going to introduce Crop Residue Management scheme which involves:
  • In-situ stubble management involves chopping and mixing stubble into the soil as compost. To support this, the government will provide 90,000 machines, including slashers, and offer farmers Rs 1,000 per acre as an operational charge.
  • Ex-situ management incentivizes the use of stubble in industries, such as biomass for biofuels or raw material for packaging and cardboard units. This creates an economic alternative to stubble burning, as industries purchase crop residues from farmers.
    • The government's plan involves distributing 1,405 baler machines to districts, which will then be provided to farmers.
• This is aimed at making the collection and storage of crop residues more convenient. Additionally, officials are working on establishing partnerships with industries to purchase these crop residues.

Stubble Burning

• Stubble (parali) burning is a method of removing paddy crop residues from the field to sow wheat from the last week of September to November, coinciding with the withdrawal of southwest monsoon.
• Stubble burning is a process of setting on fire the straw stubble, left after the harvesting of grains, like paddy, wheat, etc. It is usually required in areas that use the combined harvesting method which leaves crop residue behind.
• It is a common practice in October and November across North West India, but primarily in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.