Stubble Burning & Pollution

STUBBLE BURNING 

Each year in monsoon season, paddy leftout is set on a fire by farmers in the states of punjab, Haryana and some parts of Uttarpradesh to quickly prepare the feilds for the next sowing rotation. While burning the farms field is easy and convenient for the small as well as large scale farmers it's residue mix in the air which suffocates and surround the Delhi from all directions. 

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS 

The low temperature and wind direction trap the Delhi in between with reduced rate of dispersion of air which makes air dense and smoggy. The residual particles of burner stubble remain suspended in the air and floats in the direction of wind. Which makes Delhi a hotspot for the particles to accumulate.

On cloudy days, with lower temperature and calm wind speed, the height is reduced thereby leaning pollutants suspended closer to surface. Days with good amount of sunlight, high wind speed and high temperature disperse the pollutants.

STEPS TAKEN SO FAR

While farmers argues that stubble burning is a cheaper and easier alternative, the government is working in a direction to provide farmers a more convenient and environmental friendly method. 

•Last year EPCA(environment pollution prevention control) moves three states to pay Rs100 per quintal to farmers as an incentive for not burning the crop stubble

•Delhi Government also promised to install smog tower in the hotspot areas which would suck the pollutants from the surrounding air and filter it with cleaner air. Manufacturing of the smog tower is foggy and has no announcement till now

•In 2020, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Pusa has now developed a low-cost technology as a possible solution to managing crop residue. Scientists have come up with decomposers capsule called pusa decomposers which will reduce the decomposition time from 40-45 days to 20-25 days and its a cheaper alternative Four capsules, which will cost just Rs 20, can be used to make 25 litre of solution effective for one hectare of land.

HEALTH HAZARDS

Above data shows, every year 2.33 million people get killed because of several types of air, soil water pollution Where India is having the highest death rate you might have also experienced it in delhi. When air cause burning sensation to eyes and nasal area.

Moreover this seasonal increased air pollution is also marked by Diwali celebration. It has been observed that there is increase of 40% of pollutants on the second day of the festival. 

Do N95 marks really works?

You might have wondered if wearing N95 protect us from air pollution. Before answering this lets look how they works- these masks are electrically charged having a layer of positive and negative charge, on a microscopic level every particles store charge when these charged particles come in contact with the mask they get attracted to layer of opposite charge. So, yea N95( N is "non oil based" and 95 is its efficiency%) protect largerly from particles sizing between 2.5pm - 10pm. But it's not economically viable and also there's defined number of usage of N95 marks.We keep it using and washing the same mask for n numbers of time which highly reduce its efficiency. 

PRECAUTIONS

Avoid going out in these upcoming 2-3 months when pollution level is going to be sky high. Wear mask. Be Safe