DELHI'S WOO OF AQI : TIME RIPE FOR DELHI AND PUNJAB TO WORK IN SYNERGY TO RESOLVE THE FARMERS' STUBBLE ISSUE

DELHI'S WOO OF AQI : TIME RIPE FOR DELHI AND  PUNJAB TO WORK IN SYNERGY TO RESOLVE THE FARMERS' STUBBLE ISSUE


I have been reading every year for many years now, that NCR Delhi's AQI ( Air Quality Index ) goes so bad that the atmosphere of the Region becomes hazardous for health of the citizens around this time every year ( October-November ).

For two months every year, there is hue and cry and back to square one. Today also, similar news. The news reports say today in the morning, that last night the citizens in Delhi did not obey the local Govt's ban on Fire Crackers even with legal provisions of Jail and Fine both for bursting crackers and went ahead with it, now the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi NCR has gone to be very poor to severe.

The AQI of Delhi is getting bad seasonally, for the 3-reasons that are always said:

1. Farmers in Punjab (Primarily) burning Stubble of Wheat and Rice Straws ( locally called as "Pareli" ) in Agricultural Fields en-masse. The same thing is being done in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Partly.
---- Administrative, Legal -Filing Cases and Punishment Provisions for burning stubble have not worked. It will not work for the Farmers

2. Delhi NCR's Industrial/Vehicular/Construction Pollution
..... The Local Govt has tried with local measures to reduce vehicle use, stop construction for 2-months that is being resisted by Builder's lobby, and Other Administrative/Support Measures like Spraying Water in the Air.

3. Bursting of Fire Crackers by People during Diwali
..... It is said that the Ban Measures have not been obeyed by people, Hopefully over a stretch of years gradually people will desist from bursting Fire Crackers, it will not happen in a single year.

It is reported that the above 3-Reasons contribute almost in equal proportion during this seasonal drop in AQI in Delhi; for a moment, let us keep few % difference among them aside, treating as major contributors.

The Administrative or Legal Measures may work some way for the Reason No-2 and No-3 above, however the Reason No-1 can't be tackled by Administrative/Legal/Punishment measures as it involves the farmers.

The Reason of Farmers' Stubble Burning is a Commercial/Technical Problem could possibly solved by Commercial and Technical Route.

Previously, there used to be Governments of two political parties, one in Delhi and the other in Punjab. Even the Govt at Centre used to be of the 3rd Political Party in recent years.

Now both Delhi and Punjab have the Govts run by One (Same) Political Party. I believe whatever they decide the Centre would not have objection (though it is run by a different party ) as the benefits would accrue to everyone. Now if the Governments of Delhi and Punjab work together in synergy, they can address this issue together.

In 2019, I had written an article in my Blog here, that the Farmers' Stubble Burning problem of Punjab (Primarily) and the neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh can be resolved by "CONVERTING STUBBLE TO PAPER MANUFACTURING" in stead of burning it. That small article is still there in my Blog, many people have read it.

If the Stubble of Wheat and Rice are converted to Paper Manufacturing, we will not only help in reducing the AQI problem of Delhi NCR, we will also save some forest as wood gets converted to paper. When we save trees of forest, that will help the environment.

The Farmers would be possibly happy to cut the same stubble from the field and handover it to the Paper Mill, if they are paid for their labour of cutting it as an incentive in stead of punishing them for burning it.

The Evidence of Converting Wheat Straw into Paper is already there in Punjab, near Ludhiana where the Trident Paper is using the wheat straw to convert to paper and selling its paper nationally.  I can't say if Trident Paper is using Rice Straw also for Paper Manufacturing in its Mill, but it is doable.  Because, the Wood Pulp or the Pulp out of Wheat Straw or Rice Straw would be basically "Cellulose" that goes into paper making.

If both the Governments of Punjab and Delhi work together even to establish another Paper Mill Complex even by Public Sector Venture ( if not Private Sector ) to convert the Stubble of Wheat Straw and Rice Straw into paper manufacturing, everyone including the Farmers will also be in win-win situation.

As I said, it is Time Ripe for Delhi and Punjab to work together ( as they have Governments of same party ) to convert the Wheat/Rice Stubble to Paper to reduce the Delhi NCR's woos of Seasonal AQI problem out of stubble burning. Since Haryana and UP are smaller contributors and farmers are farmers in any state, if they get incentivised by converting stubble into paper, there also it could be addressed.

Through this note what I am saying is not mundane, with sincere efforts may be this will resolve the Farmers' Stubble burning issue largely. As I also said, this is a Commercial and Technical Subject, it has to be commercially or technically addressed, then it can be resolved, not by any other way. When the Stubble gets converted to Paper, the Revenue generated out of Selling Paper can be ploughed back to handle the stubble and to pay to the farmers for cutting that stubble they are burning and handing over to the Paper Mill Complex as its raw material.

While a Private Sector Enterprise already doing this activity commercially in Punjab, it is evidenced as doable. May be they are doing the easier part of it or creamier part of it at ease now. Rest part would be the difficult part of it, however, the Public Sector or Governments are supposed to work for handling difficult problems for the people, that is done everywhere at the beginning.

It would require the Political will to address. What I wrote by few lines of this note is also not that easy as I said, it has to be pursued as I said by political will to drive for resolution to make it doable. When Farmers see the avenues for revenue for them they would co-operate in this case why not ? Think about Amul, the farmers did not know how to make Butter, Cheese, Ice Cream or Milk Powders out of Milk. When somebody shows it to them, they work for it and it goes on.

I wrote it here, to let Readers also think about it in their ways, may be we have some who can help it.


About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 36+ years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER)

  DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED         (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER) Based on my direct experience and interaction in person with Dr. Verghese Kurien ( in short well known as Dr. V. Kurien ), popularly celebrated as the Milk Man of India or the Father of White Revolution of India, the former Chairman of GCMMF Ltd. ( Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited-Amul ) and the former Chairman of National Dairy Development Board ( of India) as well as recipient of World Food Prize, I honourably place few lines as some qualities Dr. Kurien had but normally less published, as tribute to Dr. V. Kurien on his death Anniversary falling on 09 September.       1.     Dr. Kurien was a highly responsive communicator: I justify by an instance. In 1989, I used to work as a Branch Manager in charge of Patna (Undivided Bihar then) Office of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limi...
Read more

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING  IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS  The biggest nuisance in Social Medial Platforms today is the Hooliganism of Blocking and Muting by the Administrators. The Democratic Principles and Freedom of Speech of the Members of Social Media Groups are being attacked by vested interests. Some persons having vested interests and nexus acquire Administrator/Moderator rights in the social media groups and use that administrator rights to terrorize the members of blocking and muting.  The Administrators of Vested Interests create a group of hooligans around them to exploit the situation and realize the best returns for their vested interests. Those Administrators also create a group of their supporters by placating them by lure of various means. Those hooligans thus created by the Administrators of vested interest try to attack and intimidate the Upright and Honest members who genuinely and diligently raise voice against exploitation of the situation by th...
Read more

WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS, BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY

  WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS,  BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY   The meaning of “Protege” is a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person. The older and more experienced or influential person who guides and supports for the progress of a protege is called as a “Mentor”. Most of the times, the Mentors try to project and promote their proteges to act as their successors as well. In an article published in “The Chronicle of Evidence-based Mentoring” on September 13, 2015 written by Jean Rhodes, the following 25-Top and Celebrated Mentoring examples of recent times were cited and I am placing here under the quotes: Quote : 1. Best known for her talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah Winfrey was mentored by celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. “She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life,” Winf...
Read more

TRIBUTE TO DR. V. KURIEN ON HIS 101st BIRTHDAY : 26 November

Image
TRIBUTE TO DR. V. KURIEN ON HIS 101st BIRTHDAY : 26 November This is a Tribute to Dr. V. Kurien, on the "National Milk Day" which is being celebrated on 26-November ( falling on 26-November-2022 ), the Birth Day of Dr. Verghese Kurien, otherwise also, called as the "Milk Man of India" as well as "The Father of the White Revolution of India". Volumes have been written on Dr. Kurien and his story can not be finished in some words, for his significant contributions towards the Dairy Development in India and in other spheres, during his lifetime, that has helped uplift the economic wellbeing of millions of farmers, both men and women spread over more than 6-decades of his effort, across India nationally. His contribution in terms of building and nurturing excellent institutions to sustain resiliently on long term basis in the interest of the society is well known. I have also tried the little I could and have written a number of articles and notes on ...
Read more

DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

  DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT   What I am writing in this article might or might not have been noticed or considered by many, however it has lot of importance for the human society and environment at large. Only being aware of and giving few seconds to wash the empty milk pouches by water after you drain the milk out of it for your consumption and before you throw it into your trash bin or any where would help the environment and the society at large.  Kindly consider the facts I am presenting below. In India, right now about 62million litres ( 62,000,000 litres ) of liquid milk is being sold per day ( every day ) in plastic pouches which the people all around are buying on daily basis. About 70% of it in 500ml  Plastic Pouch Packing and 30% of it in 1Litre Plastic Pouch Packing. That means about 43.4 million litres in 500ml pouch and 18.6 million litre...
Read more

WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF INDIA WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD…

  WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA  A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF OF INDIA  WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD… Two days back, in the Whole of Media a bunch of Tycoons, Hunchos and Biased-Economists have rejoiced on Sale of "Air India" to Tata. While a bunch of "Tycoons and Hunchos" and "Biased-Economists" were rejoicing all around in the media for Sale of "Air India" to Tata and may be in their offices and homes, I was : VERY VERY SAD. Because, I felt as if the "Utensils of our Indian National Kitchen" were getting sold. It was so sad for me...... When the Utensils of our Kitchen gets sold how do we eat ? Eat on the Floor or borrow an utensil from somebody ..... Will the 2-AIR INDIA ONEs bought at a Price of Rs. 8000/- Crores go to TATA or stay ? Let it also go to Tata why not ? Every time when ...
Read more

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST I am a bit surprised, that repeatedly, articles and statements are being published in the internet in the name of a sitting Chief Executive of one of the Largest Co-operative Dairy Federations of India, that are quite  inconsistent with the interest of the Farmers of India, whether they may be Agriculture Farmers or any other fields allied to Agriculture. His views may be personal for targeting any interest he may have, however, I am sure his views are never representing the Dairy Co-operatives or Dairy Farmers of India. Categorically in an article published in the internet, he states that there is no MSP(Minimum Support Price) in Dairy (Milk), Fisheries and Poultry by giving a cryptic and satiric look to the   MSP prevalent for Agricultural Crops to assist the farmers growing food crops for the 1300 million population India has to feed right now. Further he says as ...
Read more

A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE

Image
  A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE,  A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE… YOU REMAIN FOR EVER IN HEART AND MIND…..AND IN MEMORY……   A Tribute to My Teacher and Educationist : Shri Lakshman Mishra (Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School Dhenkanal), on his sad demise on June 05, 2022. ( My Revered Teacher and Educationist, Shri Lakshman Mishra, Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School, Dhenkanal, Odisha, India; addressed in this article of tribute, as My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra, with reverence, with utmost respect and utmost honours to identify appropriately, remember and place him at highest level of respects and honours of my association as Teacher-Student and also at Family level for 49 years to date. The best is to evidence him as a Teacher and Educationist par excellence, an Excellent and Rare human being who lived in this world, with  my own experience and relationship with him cherished over 49years, that ...
Read more

WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY

  WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY             I have been motivated to write on such a topic which could also be quite sensitive; since I read reports publicly published globally that during Covid-19, the fatality (death) of men is around two times that of women. It means the number of men who have died (also continuing to pass away) is twice that of women who have died (also continuing to pass away in the same ratio). That means, the number of married women who have lost their husbands would be twice the number of married men who have lost their wives and thus a large number of widows have been placed in the society during Covid-19 pandemic. Since this phenomenon came to my attention, I have been doing some research about how the people of such large number who are getting widowed would be conducting in the society, as historically a widow has a very constricted environment in the society; to operate cultural...
Read more

INDIA TOPPING THE WORLD BY DOUBLING ITS GDP IN LAST 10YEARS: WE CAN'T BE MISER TO APPRECIATE THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND OUR ACHIEVEMENT AS A NATION

INDIA TOPPING THE WORLD BY DOUBLING ITS GDP IN LAST 10YEARS: WE CAN'T BE MISER TO APPRECIATE THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND OUR ACHIEVEMENT AS A NATION Dear Readers, It is an amazing news that   India has grown its GDP by 105% ( Doubling ) in last 10years compared the year 2025 with 2015,  I am giving below a link of the news report publication that cites the IMF (International Monetary Fund). According to IMF, India's GDP in 2015 stood at USD 2.1 Trillion while it has reached USD 4.3 Trillion in 2025, a growth of 105%, and  India Tops the World compared to all other Major Economies with this Growth Rate in GDP in last 10years, none is even closer to 105% of India's Growth,  other biggies such as USA, China, Germany and  Japan the only four nations who are above us in size of GDP, remain at far distance in % Growth in GDP Compared to India in the last 10years. Right now   we are next to Japan as the 5th Largest GDP, and we are going to surpass Japan very soon ...
Read more