⁍ India is likely to reduce crop waste burning, a major source of air pollution during the winter months.


⁍ Every winter, a thick blanket of smog settles over northern India.


⁍ Crop residue burning accounts for about a quarter of air pollution in winter months.


– Every winter, India’s capital, New Delhi, experiences a spike in air pollution due to a combination of factors, including the burning of crop residues, industrial emissions, and vehicle exhaust, reports Reuters. Crop residue burning accounts for about a quarter of air pollution in winter months, various studies show. To combat the problem, the government has set aside $177.61 million for two years to give farmers a subsidy to buy equipment that allows them to dispose of their paddy stalks and straw without burning them. “The subsidy program is in its third year, and it’s going to result in a substantial reduction of up to 75-80% this year,” says one government official. But environmentalists are skeptical. “Rice harvests will start gathering momentum in the next 30 days, and that’s the time when these claims about substantially bringing down crop fires will be put to the test,” says an environmental expert.



Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/india-pollution/india-aims-to-cut-crop-waste-burning-in-key-farm-states-by-80-idUSL3N2GJ2AR