Despite a ban on stubble burning by the administration, farmers still burn stubble in wheat fields on the outskirts of Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Despite a ban on stubble burning by the administration, farmers still burn stubble in wheat fields on the outskirts of Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) 
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IIM Students Tackle Stubble Burning Menace: Devise Way To Reduce Pollution And Increase Farm Income

BySwarajya Staff

Burning of paddy straw has been detrimental to the environment. Students from Indian Institute of Management-Amritsar have suggested pragmatic solutions where farmers can make a living out of it, instead of contributing to pollution. The study was conducted for over three months.

Sawan Khapne, Shivam Rana, Shailendra Singh had multiple interactions with farmers from Khot Khalsa and took note of their problems. Disposing straw becomes a big burden to farmers, therefore they still practice this despite continued efforts from the government, The Tribune reported.

Cultivation of mushroom, producing bio-fuels using the straw, making bio-concretes that are used for buildings, are some of the alternative solutions to burning straw. The group focused on the villages from Verka, not too far away from Amritsar. Later on, the 31 villages were divided into four clusters in order to collect paddy waste and distribute necessary equipment.

The Tribune has quoted Dr Neeraj Banot, an assistant professor as saying, “The supply chain management is basically a journey of procuring a thing till it reaches its destination. I have interacted with many farmers. The aim is to develop a pattern that can be followed as paddy is harvested.”

A chain has been created where the farmers can give their procure to companies/NGOs, and they in return can seek help from government to transport the straw to processing units.