The Haze!

During the recent past, Northern India had to batter under the smog menace, arising out of the   age- old practices of burning seasonal wheat/rice straws, following harvesting stacked in the fields. Moreover, usual prevailing dusty conditions coupled with emitting vehicular smokes, culminate into hazy environment, especially in the winter months!

Every year, the media is as usual abuzz during this time, in presenting the citizens’ plights as well the environmental cum human health hazards. The question of accountability whenever comes up, as usual, the political bekereeings take place in  passing the bucks to each other and a permanent solution to recurrence of seasonal haze problems remain a far cry. Be that what it may, the common citizens are eventually made to suffer! 

The Haze problems reach its ebb with the affected states, clustered around. The governments’ apparatus wake up to deal with the issue, nonetheless, as the seasonal problems recede,  concerned states machinery get into usual  slender mode waiting till the seasonal haze problem resurfaces! This lacadishial attitudes in arriving at a permanent solution is not only untenable but it is high time, the policy makers should evolve a proper policy to arrive at permanent solution to the seasonal haze problems. Moreover extending the additional financial benefits to the farmers who had gone through financial distress!

 It is highly regrettable, despite proven technological solutions are available globally as well, in India, the permanent remedial measures to eradicate or minimise the seasonal haze problems always remain unresolved! The state governments can enforce prohibidary order stopping the straw burning which is not tenable in the absence of alternate measure made available to the farmers for timely disposal of the stacked straws. This called for appropriate technological support to convert the paddy straw waste into the renewable value added feed by enhance palatability cum nutritional enrichments of the stacked straws.

In several countries the paddy straws waste are being converted into value added products by deploying proven technological practices for up-gradation of the straw for production of the supplementary cattle feed besides its usages in the production of the other useable handcrafts. The straw is used also in making of the different Hindu Goddess idols, during the festival seasons, in India. Needless to state that the waste straws could provide additional financial benefits to the struggling farmers, in India, instead it becoming a liability to them!    

To arrive at a permanent solution to the seasonal Haze problems, in northern India, instead of d squabbling over the issue between the state & centre governments, a permanent policy initiative is the need of the hour! I may suggest that the issue being environmental, it may be brought under the ongoing ‘Swachha Bharat’ programme by providing additional funds under the centrally sponsored programme for the affected states.

My blog ends with following quote: “Will without Power is incomplete and power without will is dangerous & when will & will power are present implementation becomes easy!!” Harris Sairaman