The national Capital of the world’s fastest growing economy has the world’s most toxic air as the rising concentrations of harmful pollutants on Wednesday marked the Air Quality Index as “red”.  

With the air quality fluctuating between ‘poor to very poor’ , the neighbouring States Haryana has registered fresh cases of stubble burning in its rice bowl belt — Karnal to Kurukshetra.

As per the report with The Pioneer Karnal, Nilokheri, Indri, Nissing , Assandh and Gharaund are the areas where fresh 189 incidents of stubble burning have been reported by Haryana Agriculture Department and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). While the Government has imposed fine of Rs 62500 to Rs 12500 on the farmers, in 99 cases FIR has also been lodged. Last year 4343 cases of stubble burning were reported.

Haryana’s rice belt is being criticized for burning  agricultural residues.

Beset with the problem of stubble burning by farmers, the district administration has prepared a policy draft with a tagline: In-situ management and have been forwarded it to Chief Secretary, Haryana.

The Government wants to encourage farmers  for maize cultivation in place of paddy.

“Without bamboo flute cannot be played, hence.. we are encouraging farmers to opt vegetable and Maize cultivation..we have done a research. Maize is the local food here and cultivation of Maize will help in combating air pollution factors,” said Aditya Dabas , Deputy Director , Haryana Agriculture Department , Karnal range.

The officer further, said that besides air pollution, ground water depletion is another main reason.. Karnal is rice bowl for India, here, industrialists have set

their rice mills, but what they are doing on the name of Social Corporate Responsibility, are they proving machines to small farmers to avoid burning husk”. 

Some farmers have taken the initiative; they are opting  for vegetables and maze cultivation, solo solution to tackle air pollution is to stop the cultivation of paddy, with reasonable MSP on maize, farmers will start cultivating maize,” the officer added further.      

Meanwhile, the policy draft has also marked Karnal as —”Dark Zone”. “Despite being situated on Yamuna belt zone, the district is facing ground water depletion.

Paddy cultivation requires million gallons of water, situation will not support in near future,” the officer said.

As per the report there are 435 villages Karnal who grow paddy on about 1.65 lakh hectares of land which is largest in the State.

Farmers resort to burning of paddy straw in order to prepare their field for sowing of the next crop during Kharif season particularly the Paddy husk.