U’khand govt wants farmers to go organic to keep Ganga toxin-free
To keep the Ganga free of toxic chemicals the Uttarakhand government is executing a centrally funded scheme, under which hill farmers in the catchment area of the river are being encouraged to adopt organic farming. The scheme would also help augment their income substantially, officials said.
“Under the first phase of the centrally funded project, all poor and marginal hill farmers inhabiting the 42 villages in the catchment area of the river Ganga are being given full support to adopt organic farming”, said Gauri Shankar, director, agriculture referring to Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY). The scheme is being implemented under the aegis of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project, Namami Gange or National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
According to Shankar, the project is one of the several schemes being implemented to keep the Ganga free of chemical pollution. “The move also aims to augment hill farmers’ income because the organic crops they will be growing will fetch them good price”, Shankar said. The scheme is also being implemented in four other states— Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal— under the PKVY.
Shankar said the residues of chemical fertilizers and pesticides used by farmers in the catchment area of the Ganga are among the various factors causing chemical pollution in the river.
“The initiative to encourage farmers to go for organic farming came from the Centre”, he said adding that it (Centre) approved 42 villages out of a list of 139 (villages) in the catchment area of the Ganga, which was forwarded by the state government.