The Delhi government has started preparations for spraying of bio-decomposer in farms free of cost to prevent stubble burning. Development Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday chaired a joint meeting with the higher officials of Development Department, Revenue Department and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (PUSA) regarding free bio-decomposer spraying.

After the meeting, Rai said that free bio-decomposer will be sprayed by the government in all the Basmati and non-Basmati paddy fields inside Delhi. Orders have been issued to the Agriculture Department to get the farmers to fill the form at the earliest regarding the spraying of bio-decomposer.

A training program will also be organised in the Delhi Secretariat on Friday regarding spraying of free bio-de-composer, during which officials of Development Department, Revenue Department and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (PUSA) will also be present.

Giving more details about the meeting, Rai said: “In order to solve the problem of pollution occurring in the winter season inside Delhi, the Kejriwal government is constantly moving towards making its winter action plan by meeting with different departments.”

He said all the departments have been assigned different responsibilities on 15 focus points regarding the Winter Action Plan, under which the Environment Department will prepare a joint action plan for it.

Rai said stubble burning, included in this year’s 15 focus points, also plays an important role in increasing the problem of pollution in the winter season, adding that the entire city of Delhi is covered in smoke when the stubble burning in the nearby states begins.

“Pollution’s fatal effects multiply dramatically as a result of it. As a result, today a joint meeting with the top officials of the Development Department, Revenue Department, and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (PUSA) was conducted to discuss the free spraying of bio-decomposer inside Delhi,” Rai said.

He said that during the meeting, it was decided by the government to spray bio-de-composer free of cost in all Basmati and non-Basmati paddy fields inside Delhi.

“Along with this, instructions have also been issued to the Agriculture Department to get the farmers to fill the form at the earliest regarding the spraying of bio-de-composer. In this form, the details of the farmer, how many acres of the field he wants to be sprayed and the time of harvesting, these records will be included,” Rai said.

“Farmers will also enter the date of spraying in the form so that accordingly arrangements can be made for spraying in their fields. Along with this, a helpline number will also be issued by the Development Department for the farmers,” he said.

“A training program will also be organised tomorrow at Delhi Secretariat regarding spraying of free bio-decomposer, during which officials of Development Department, Revenue Department and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (PUSA) will also participate. Instructions have also been issued to run an awareness campaign among the farmers about the spraying of bio-de-composer inside Delhi,” he said further.

Rai said: “Paddy is cultivated only in some parts of Delhi. Last year, free spraying of bio-de-composer was done by the government so that there is no pollution from stubble in Delhi. Which had a very positive result, the stubble was thawed and there was also an increase in the fertile capacity of the field.”

The Minister said that this year also, both Basmati and non-Basmati paddy fields will be sprayed by the Delhi government. At the same time, a problem in front of the farmers is that the time interval between the harvesting of paddy crops and sowing of wheat is short.

“Therefore, the Delhi government has started preparing for this work in time so that there is no delay in the whole exercise and the farmers can get better results,” he added.