Applicability Assessment of Biochar as Soil Amendment

Abstract

It has been noticed during the last four-five years that the national capital of India, New Delhi newlinefaces a peculiar problem of high air pollution and smog during Kharif season when crops are newlineharvested in the nearby states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is believed newlinethat open and direct burning of agricultural crop residues by the farmers of these states is one newlineof the responsible factors for this annual crisis. The emission of greenhouse gases during newlineburning of crop residues is a prime factor responsible for deterioration of ambient air quality newlineand environmental health hazard. The problem has drawn attention of the Central and State newlineGovernments, Hon ble Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) along newlinewith the common public. newlineThe advancement of technology and mechanization of agriculture has resulted in increased newlinecrop production in India but at the same time, the management of huge quantities of crop newlineresidues has become an associated problem. The Indian farmers, especially in Punjab, newlineHaryana and other adjoining states prefer to burn the crop residues after harvesting in order newlineto get their agricultural fields readily available for the next crop. This practice of stubble newlineburning (locally called Parali ) is known to be the main cause of abnormally high levels of newlinesmog and air pollution in the national capital region of New Delhi after Kharif season every newlineyear for quite some time. newline newline