It is a known fact that Delhi-NCR (India) - home to over 20 million people remains covered with smog during pre-winter months of October-November, each year. NASA images have reflected that the burning of crop stubble during harvest season in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh (wheat bowl states) is considerably impacting the pollution level of this region.
Stubble burning is economical and cleans the field completely for sowing of new crops, but it has many harmful effects on the environment and livelihood.
Project Shodhan | Crop Residue Management Initiative by Birlasoft
The fact that the time gap to sow new crop during October-November is only 15-20 days make the farmers resort to crop burning. To lessen the worries of farmers from the wheat bowl states of India, and to lend them a helping hand, Birlasoft initiated a Community Initiative called 'Shodhan'. Shodhan, in Hindi, signifies 'Purification'.
In 2017, Shodhan set up its footprints in two villages of Punjab, both of which had witnessed stubble burning in the past. In a span of four years, the initiative has covered more than 70+ villages and 56,300+ acres of agricultural land.
SDGs impacted here
Birlasoft has been a recipient of multiple awards like 'SABERA', (Social and Business Enterprise Responsible Award) for three consecutive years in the 'Paryavaran' (Environment) category and the India CSR Award in 2021.
This was made possible because of the Birlasoft volunteers, who in collaboration with the CII Foundation, contributed their effort and time in the initiative, their never-ending support to the farmers' family, took the project to the next level.
Impact of the Interventions in 2020-21
- Stubble burning checked in 90% farm area and 5% - 7% increase in yield
- Net water savings estimated to be almost 2.6 billion liters
- The adoption of sustainable practice improved to almost 95% after the intervention as compare to 9% in 2019
- 22,560 tons of rice straw were avoided from being burnt
- Avoided Air Quality Impacts: 117 t PM2.5; 143 t VOCs; 83 t NH3; 39 t NOx and 5.8 t
Graphs highlighting the positive impact that Project Shodhan has brought across communities
Awards and Accolades
India CSR Summit 2021 | Environment Category | Project: Large
In December 2021, Birlasoft’s marquee community development and crop residue management initiative, Project Shodhan was acknowledged with the Special Jury Award at the eighth edition of the India CSR Summit.
An initiative of CSRBOX, the India CSR Awards encourages companies, CSR foundations, and CSR implementing agencies to deliver high impact through CSR projects, and adopt a multi-stakeholder approach, leading to excellence in project outcomes. The Awards seek to appreciate project-specific impacts made by the organizations in particular thematic areas to set the benchmark in project planning to project implementation.
Certificate of Recognition received by the organizers
A glittering trophy that acknowledges the positive interventions brought by Project Shodhan
GT SABERA 2020 | Virtual Award Ceremony | Dec 10, 2020
GT SABERA 2020 | Award Citation | Paryavaran and Upbhog (Environment and Consumption) Category
Project Shodhan | SABERA 2019 award Paryavaran (Environment) Category
Press Releases
Videos
Awareness Drives in villages of Punjab (CII Foundation and Birlasoft's #BForCe volunteers) 2019
Interaction with Farmers
Plantation Drive
Street Play
Gallery
