India News | Paddy Straw Not a Liability Anymore: Kejriwal
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said paddy straw is not a liability anymore and urged neighbouring states to make the Pusa bio-decomposer available to their farmers for in-situ management of crop residue.
New Delhi, Sept 24 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said paddy straw is not a liability anymore and urged neighbouring states to make the Pusa bio-decomposer available to their farmers for in-situ management of crop residue.
He also said the microbial solution, which can turn stubble into manure, will be sprayed over 4,300 acres belonging to 844 farmers in Delhi. Last year, 310 farmers had used it on 1,935 acres of land.
Also Read | Karnataka: Man Allegedly Sexually Assaults Mysuru Woman, Cheats Her Of Rs 35 Lakh; Arrested.
"Paddy straw is not a liability anymore..we would burn it earlier, but now the solution can turn into an asset. We appeal to all states to make this low-cost solution available to their farmers like Delhi did," Kejriwal said, while launching the preparations of the Pusa bio-decomposer at Kharkhari Nahar village in southwest Delhi.
WAPCOS, a Central government agency which conducted an audit of the bio-decomposer, found that the carbon and nitrogen content of the soil where it was used last year had increased significantly.
He said the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management has also acknowledged the success of the bio-decomposer and has directed Punjab, Haryana and UP to use it.
According to officials, Uttar Pradesh will use bio-decomposer in 10 lakh acres of area, Punjab in five lakh acres, Haryana one lakh acre.
Compared to other expensive alternatives for in-situ management of paddy straw, the bio-decomposer costs less than Rs 1,000 per acre, he said.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the Delhi government will start spraying the solution in fields from October 5.
"Most of the stubble is generated in Punjab, Haryana and neighbouring states. That's why we have been saying that until all the states together move towards the solution of stubble decomposition, it is difficult to solve the problem,” he said.
Pusa Institute's Bio-Decomposer Management Nodal Officer Indramani Mishra said 10 companies have been given licences to make capsules of the bio-decomposer.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)