Delhi to prepare bio-decomposer solution from today to fight stubble burning
The bio-decomposer solution will be ready by October 5 and the government will spray it free of cost. The expenditure of this drive will be around ₹5,000,000.
The Delhi government will start preparing a bio-decomposer solution from Friday for spraying across farmlands in order to stop stubble burning which leads to air pollution in the national capital. The bio-decomposer solution will be ready by October 5 and the government will spray it free of cost. The expenditure of this drive will be around ₹5,000,000.
According to news agency ANI, the government, in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, developed the bio-decomposer capsule. This capsule can be converted into a solution that can be sprayed on crop stubble in farmlands. Once sprayed, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days, ANI added.
“Last year, the Delhi government, in association with Pusa Institute, sprayed bio-decomposer on the fields. We got a lot of positive responses. We presented that entire report to the Central Commission for Air Quality Management and they asked for a third-party audit. The audit has been done and the report has been handed over,” Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said while addressing a press conference on Monday.
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Pointing out that stubble burning contributes to the national capital’s pollution which reaches a dangerous level; Rai said that previously, many laws were made to deal with this problem. “Penalties were imposed on the farmers but no solution was found,” the environment minister also told reporters on Monday.
The solution was sprayed only in fields growing non-basmati rice last year. However, this year the government will spray it in all fields including those that grow basmati rice.
A committee of 25 members has been formed to approach farmers and carry out the drive. The Delhi government also said that farmers will only have to fill a form and the bio-decomposer solution will be sprayed in their fields free of cost.
Hindustan Times earlier reported that farmers in Delhi only burn only 1% of stubble and the smoke from stubble burning in states such as Haryana and Punjab contributes majorly to the winter pollution in the national capital.
Environment minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday that neighbouring states are willing to experiment with the bio-decomposer solution to combat stubble burning, adding that such states and the Centre should prepare to spray the solution on a war-footing.