The Delhi government on Monday started spraying bio-decomposer solution in farmlands to decompose the stubble left after the harvest.
A bio-decomposer capsule, developed by Pusa Institute, is made into a solution through a week-long process, and as per the government, this solution can decompose straw and stubble into manure.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the number of farmers, who are getting the solution sprayed in their fields, has doubled as compared to last year.
“We have received applications for about 4,000 acres of land as opposed to 2,000 acres last year. But those farmers who haven’t applied yet will be issued a contact number (9643844287) to avail of this service free of cost. Farmers can register themselves and we will send our teams to the farms and help with the process,” the Minister said.
Mr. Rai said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had asked the Delhi government to get a third-party audit of the process done and they did it with a Central agency. “We submitted a report to the CAQM, and also approached the Union Environment Minister and the Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab governments (to use the bio-decomposer),” he said.
The Delhi government sees the bio-decomposer as a solution to stubble burning and has been urging other States to adopt this method. The government first sprayed it last year and claimed that the results were positive.
The Minister said that problems caused by stubble burning cannot be solved without the combined effort as smoke has started entering Delhi’s airspace.
“I appeal to the farmers to utilise the bio-decomposer, plough the field with a rotavator, and supply ample water so that the stubble can decompose and be converted into healthy compost,” Mr. Rai said.
