Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said the Centre was taking all steps to combat air pollution in Delhi and other parts of north India ahead of the winter season.
The Union minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change was speaking online at the launch of the country’s first demonstration plant of Praj Industries, a private a firm that produces compressed biogas from biomass.
“The government is taking all steps to combat air pollution in Delhi and north India. We will be using all the possible technological interventions towards it,” he said.
The minister said stubble burning is an inexpensive way to get rid of agricultural waste but it severely affects air quality in Delhi and other northern States.
Also read: Stubble burning: panel has begun work, Centre tells SC
“The Indian Agricultural Research Institute has created a ‘pusa decomposer’, an affordable way to get rid of stubble. We have used it in five States and results are awaited. By spraying it, the stubble dissolves so it will be a very big success,” Mr Javadekar said.
He said the use of technology by way of decomposers, gas and other machinery will save the national capital and its surrounding regions from air pollution due to stubble burning.
Also read: Delhi’s air quality slips to ‘severe’ category; worst since Dec. 2019
The minister also said polluting industries were being monitored 24/7, adding 6000 tons of debris and waste material generated at construction sites were being used to make tiles and paver blocks.
Some thermal power projects have been closed as part of this fight against pollution, he added.
The minister complimented the firm for its innovations for a “cleaner and greener world” and said “CBG (compressed biogas) technology was one of the most sustainable solutions to combat air pollution”.
Conversion of agricultural residue and biomass into biofuel is also in keeping with the Centre’s move towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, he added.
