Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said that the Centre should take concrete steps to convert stubble into organic fertilizers to combat the problem of air pollution.
Quoting a survey, he claimed that burning of stubble led to an increase in pollution levels of Delhi by 42-46 per cent.
Speaking to , he said, "I am very upset that farmers are being seen as the culprit for air pollution. Farmers provide food for the country. If the straw is converted into organic fertilizer then it would solve the problem of stubble burning."
"If the Central Government gives instructions that through MNREGA planning this stubble should be converted into organic fertilizers instead of being burnt, then it would not only manufacture a large quantity of organic fertilizer but would also prevent pollution," Baghel added.
The Chief Minister also informed that cowsheds have been constructed in 2,000 villages in Chhattisgarh to convert stubble into organic fertilizers.
"100 kilograms of stubble can manufacture nearly 60kg pure organic fertilizer. This means nearly 35 million tons of stubble can be converted into 2 crores 10 lakh tons of organic fertilizer," he said.
Baghel said that nearly 35 million tons of stubble is burnt in Punjab and Haryana every year in the month of September-October.
"There are two reasons for this- to cultivate wheat crop immediately after paddy crop, and unavailability of a cheaper system to burn stubble disposable, though farmers are aware that this process adversely affects the fertility of the land and also causes severe pollution," he said.
Toxic smog in Delhi has engulfed the national capital and its adjoining regions post-Diwali with the air quality index (AQI) docking at severe levels, putting the health of people under risk.
A public health emergency has been declared in Delhi and the odd-even road rationing scheme, aimed at tackling pollution, is currently operational from November 4 to November 15.
( With inputs from ANI )