Centre for Development Economics
Department of Economics
Delhi School of Economics
ANNOUNCE A SEMINAR
by
Sisir Debnath
( IIT Delhi)
(Thursday, February 2, 2025, at 2:15 PM IST )
Venue: Amex Room
Abstract:-
This paper investigates the intended and unintended consequences of the Preservation of Subsoil Water Acts, enacted in 2009 in the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. The Acts aimed to preserve groundwater by delaying the sowing and transplanting of paddy until the arrival of monsoon, thereby reducing the reliance on irrigation. Employing difference-in-differences and triple-difference strategies, this paper demonstrates that while the policy had a small effect on groundwater preservation, it also had unintended adverse effects on air quality. By shortening the time between the rice harvest and the sowing of wheat, the Acts prompted farmers to increasingly resort to crop residue burning as a quick means of clearing fields. This practice, in turn, contributed to a rise in particulate matter in the atmosphere, with significant implications for air quality in the region. The findings highlight a trade-off for policymakers: gains in groundwater preservation may come at the cost of worsening air quality.