Government to set up a 15 member impact assessment panel to determine the effectiveness of Pusa institute’s bio-decomposer to reduce stubble burning. It can be the best solution to stop stubble burning in India.
Delhi Government Forms Panel to Test Pusa’s Bio Decomposer
Gopal Rai, Environment Minister, Delhi government, said that the authorities had ascertained the impact of Pusa bio-decomposer in non-basmati rice fields in Hiranki village in Narela. Now, the government has set up a 15 member committee involving five MLAs and other agricultural specialists and officials from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, and the Agriculture Department. Further, he added that the team would submit its report to the Supreme Court within 15 days after Diwali. Besides, on the worsening pollution situation in Delhi, he said that the government had implemented a blanket ban on firecrackers from November 7 to November 30. Violation of the same will result in a fine of Rs one lakh.
Panel has begun Work to Find Solution to Stubble Burning: Center to Supreme Court
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta notified a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde that the panel has started working from November 6. The Center recently promulgated the Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance of 2020. It will prevent and monitor stubble burning in three states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Mr Mehta further added that they have several experts from notable institutes like Energy Resources Institute, IIT Delhi, and Indian Meteorological Department appointed to the commission. Also, there is a representation of specialists from NGO’s too.
Vikas Singh, a senior advocate, appeared as a petitioner and mentioned the urgency of controlling the severe pollution in the capital region. The court has agreed to look over the case after Diwali vacation. Also, on October 16, the Supreme Court-appointed its former judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur to a one-person committee to manage stubble burning. However, it was temporarily suspended when Mr Mehta informed the Bench about the ordinance. But apex court asked Justice Lokur to deploy student volunteers from NCC and NSS to protect NCR from air pollution.
Booking Farmers Not the Solution to Stubble Burning
The UP government has lodged 1,100 FIRs against 2000 farmers against stubble burning in the state. The police lodged 15 FIRs in Balrampur, eight in Bahraich and Kushinagar, seven each in Aligarh, Basti, and Hardoi, and six each in Rampur, Shahjahanpur, Siddhartha Nagar among others. H.C. Awasthi, DGP U.P said that despite repeated instructions stubble burning cases did not come down. Besides, ADG, law, and order, Prashant Kumar stated that the police chiefs are ensuring that the Supreme Court’s guidelines to stop stubble burning are followed.
Moreover, the pollution by the burning of paddy straw has charred bees to deaths. Several bee farmers have complained of suffering from losses due to increased pollution. Dharmendra Kumar, involved in apiculture, claimed that he had suffered huge losses owing to increased pollution. He started an apiary with 50 boxes of the beehive by securing a loan of 2.5 lakhs.
In all, farmers complain of not having an alternative for stubble burning every year. Force is not the solution here as the problem lies in the lack of suitable policy and its implementation. The government should see the severity of the pollution and interest of farmers through appropriate policy measures.