Stubble Burning Will Not Only Cause Air Pollution But Also Worsen Coronavirus Situation: Expert

The stubble burning season and its implications are looming large over the country like every year. Stubble burning is likely to start later this month ahead of the Rabi crop sowing season and can exacerbate the Coronavirus crisis, an agricultural-cum-environment expert has cautioned.

¡°If alternate arrangements to stubble burning are not made, pollutants like particulate matters and toxic gases like Carbon Monoxide and Methane could give rise to severe respiratory problems, which will further worsen the COVID 19 situation, as the Coronavirus also impacts the respiratory tract,¡± Sanjeev Nagpal, also an adviser to the Union and the Punjab governments on the crop residue management, told news agency PTI .

¡°Last year, nearly 50,000 cases of stubble burning were reported in Punjab. Stubble burning contributes about 18 to 40 per cent of particulate matter to the atmosphere in northern plains. It also emits large amounts of toxic pollutants like Methane, Carbon Monoxide and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,¡± said Nagpal, also the MD of Sampurn Agri Ventures Pvt Ltd (SAVPL).

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According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the Ministry of Earth Science, in 2019, stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana had contributed to 44 per cent of the pollution in NCR Delhi.

Stubble burning not only impacts the air quality but also affects the soil.

The practice of stubble burning combined with excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers over the years has resulted in the decrease of soluble silica, carbon and other essential nutrients in the soil.

PTI

¡°Silicon (Si) is one of the most prevalent soil macro-elements, performing an essential function in healing plants in response to environmental stress. The loss of soluble silica in the soil has given rise to silica deficiency in humans exposing people to a greater threat of COVID 19 and other diseases,¡± Nagpal said.

¡°Insufficient amounts of silica in humans reduce their immune response towards viruses and pathogens,¡± he added.