‘Stubble will cease to be a problem’, says Union minister Nitin Gadkari
Gadkari said that when he was in Punjab he suggested the Punjab government to formulate a policy to enable farmers to derive value from their stubble.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday expressed confidence that stubble would cease to be a problem over a period of time. He emphasised the government's commitment to finding solutions and resolving the pollution menace due to stubble burning.
"Bitumen, bio CNG, LNG is being made from stubble. 185 projects have started in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh to make CNG, LNG. In Panipat ethanol, bio bitumen and aviation fuel are being made from stubble and the government is working to speed it up," the road transport minister told ANI in Nagpur.
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"The government is making efforts. In time, stubble will cease to be a problem as the price of stubble will increase. There will be a good market for stubble. The problem of pollution as a result of burning stubble will be solved," he added.
Gadkari said that when he was in Punjab he had suggested the Punjab government to formulate a stubble policy to enable farmers to derive value from their stubble. "When I was in Punjab, I suggested them (Punjab government) to make a stubble policy and engage the farmers so that they can generate value from their stubble. It would definitely be beneficial," Gadkari said.
Adopt ‘carrot and stick’ policy to curb farm fires: Supreme Court tells states
Gadkari's remarks come on the day Punjab reported 1,776 stubble-burning incidents, taking the total number of farm fires to 28,117. The state had reported 639 such cases on November 9, six on November 10, 104 on November 11, 987 on November 12 and 1,624 on November 13, PTI report stated.
Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is considered one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in Delhi in October and November.
Last week, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre and governments of states neighbouring Delhi to stop farm fires, calling for a “carrot and stick policy” to halt the annual practice that turns air for most part of north India into a toxic smog.
The apex court had first issued the direction on November 7 and during a hearing on Friday to monitor compliance, it directed the cabinet secretary to meet the chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and consider steps to bring down high levels of pollution gripping Delhi.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
