Pusa's Bio-Decomposer to Help Solve Stubble Burning Problem

According to a report by WAPCOS, (a Union government undertaking), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed satisfaction with the success rate of Pusa bio-decomposer and asked other states to follow Delhi's lead in lowering pollution caused by stubble burning.

“WAPCOS visited 15 communities in four districts, meeting with 79 farmers. According to that information, the Central government initiative has stated that Delhi farmers are pleased with the decomposer's outcomes, which are encouraging,” Kejriwal said during a virtual news conference on Monday.

According to the report, “90% of farmers claimed stubble disintegrated on their farmland within 15-20 days, and their fields were ready for the next season's harvest. They used to plough their field six to seven times to grow wheat, but now it only takes two to three ploughings after utilizing the bio-decomposer.”

“After using this innovative bio-decomposer to turn crop waste into organic manure, organic carbon in their crops rose by 40%. The quantity of nitrogen in the soil also rose by 24%, while beneficial bacteria and fungi grew by 7% and 3%, respectively. Aside from that, the soil quality was improved to the point where wheat crop germination rose by 17-20%.”

According to the research, “approximately 50% of farmers acknowledged that the use of DAP manure per acre was decreased to 36-40% from prior 46 percent, resulting in an 8% improvement in wheat crop production,” the Delhi Chief Minister stated.

Farmers have previously been fined for stubble burning, he added, but it was the government's job to tackle the problem, not theirs.

Kejriwal asked the central government to encourage other states to follow Delhi's lead so that farmers in neighbouring states may benefit from the same program.

Farmers in the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh burn crop residue as they prepare their fields for the (Kharif/rabi season) crops as the winter season approaches, resulting in ‘very poor' air quality in the national capital. As a result, there is a lot of pollution in the air, which creates respiratory issues in the inhabitants.