8.15L ha area to be brought under decomposer use this year: Centre

Farmers in Punjab have not shared any concern over insufficient time for the Pusa decomposer to take effect on field stubble between the paddy harvest and the sowing of the winter wheat crop, the Union farm ministry said on Tuesday, reacting to an HT report.

“We did not find any such concerns in our studies or research carried out by us,” a ministry official said, asking not to be named.

“All efforts are being made so that they (farmers) do not burn stubble.”

The Pusa decomposer takes around 20 to 25 days to decompose farm residue and pest infesthe tations were reported in some farms after its use, S Angrej Singh Khara, general secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Ekta in Sirsa, told HT in a report published on October 18.

“The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed the Pusa decomposer, a microbial consortium of fungal species for rapid decomposition of paddy straw. Use of this consortium accelerates process of paddy straw decomposition in field itself,” the farm ministry said. “In the year 2021, the decomposer has been used by the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and national capital territory of Delhi in and around 5.7 lakh hectare area, and through satellite imaging and monitoring, it was observed that 92% area of the decomposer spread plots was not burnt.”

“However, no adverse impact of use of bio-decomposer was noticed...” it said.

“Looking into the advantages of the bio-decomposer, provisions have been made under the crop residue management scheme... During the current year, the states have targeted to bring more than 8.15 lakh hectare area under this technology,” the response added.

ALL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE SO THAT FARMERS DO NOT BURN STUBBLE, THE GOVERNMENT SAID