HYDERABAD: Nearly a quarter of Telangana’s farmland was set ablaze after harvest this year, with crop residue burning affecting 16.86 lakh acres and releasing pollutants and valuable soil nutrients into the atmosphere, according to a study by Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU).
An analysis by the university’s Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory found that crop residue burning affected 16.86 lakh acres out of the state’s total cultivated area of 74.8 lakh acres during the season.
The study, based on satellite imagery captured between April and June, showed that paddy straw and stubble accounted for about 9.05 lakh acres of the burnt area, while maize, sorghum and other crop residues made up 8.49 lakh acres.
Agricultural scientists say the practice is depleting soil nutrients and adding to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Stubble burning degrading soil, polluting air
District-wise analysis showed that Nizamabad recorded the highest extent of crop residue burning at 1.70 lakh acres, followed by Kamareddy (1.32 lakh acres), Khammam (1.22 lakh acres), Karimnagar (99,121 acres) and Peddapalli (89,400 acres). Together, the five districts accounted for nearly 34% of the total burnt area in the state.
Releasing the findings on Wednesday, PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor Prof Aldas Janaiah described the trend as a “looming environmental threat” and urged farmers to stop burning crop residues.
He said the intense heat generated during stubble burning destroys beneficial microorganisms in the topsoil, reducing soil fertility and affecting crop productivity over time.
According to the university, burning one tonne of paddy straw results in the loss of about 5.5 kg of nitrogen, 2.3 kg of phosphorus and 25 kg of potash. Based on the estimated burnt area, researchers calculated that more than 23.6 lakh kg of nitrogen, 11.9 lakh kg of phosphorus and 1,062 lakh kg of potash were lost during the three-month period.
The study also highlighted the impact on air quality. It noted that every tonne of crop residue burnt releases around 1,460 kg of carbon dioxide, 60 kg of carbon monoxide and 200 kg of ash, besides methane and nitrogen oxides that contribute to global warming.
Prof Janaiah said incorporating crop residues into the soil could improve organic matter, conserve nutrients and reduce pollution. He warned that continued large-scale burning could create serious environmental challenges in the years ahead.
Danger in the air
Total cultivated area (Rabi 2025–26): 74.8 lakh acres
Total burnt area: 16.86 lakh acres (including overlap in classification)
Paddy residue burnt: 9.05 lakh acres
Other crop residue burnt: 8.49 lakh acres
Nitrogen lost: 23.63 lakh kg
Phosphorus lost: 11.9 lakh kg
Potash lost: 1,062 lakh kg