Northline

Director Agriculture , Hari Krishan Razdan, accompanied by team of officers visited farmers’ fields at Dansal, Badsu and other areas to monitor the progress of various Farmers’ welfare schemes, here today.

The Asian Age

Despite a series of measures, including a statutory ban, taken by the neighbouring states of Delhi to curb crop burning, the air pollution in Delhi-NCR hasn’t improved much and, in fact, has been deteriorating further, a parliamentary report said on air pollution in the national capital.Expressing strong reservations towards “failure” of states like Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh in taking effective steps, the standing committee report said that weak enforcement of statutory ban “coupled with laxity towards sensitivity and gravity of the matter” has adversely affected the ongoing efforts to tackle the issue.

Business Standard

The air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring cities has not improved since last year as the practice of stubble burning continues despite a ban by the neighbouring states, a parliamentary panel noted today.

Business Standard

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture to submit a status report within six weeks on providing infrastructural assistance to farmers to stop them from burning crop residue to prevent air pollution.

The Economic Times

Emphasising strict and time-bound action to deal with the growing menace of air pollution in Delhi, a parliamentary panel on Tuesday asked the government to further step up its efforts to deal with the crisis and suggested revisiting policies where it allows cutting down of trees for development works in the capital. Insisting that “worst situations demand stringent solutions”, it also asked the Centre to take strict measures to phase out the “polluting vehicles at the earliest”.

The Indian Express

Over a year after the Punjab government announced to set up a $1 million Paddy Straw Management Challenge Fund, to invite possible solutions to the menace of paddy stubble burning, the government is yet to even advertise the initiative.

Down to Earth

Harendra Neog, a farmer in India’s northeast state of Assam, recounts how his family would bathe their cattle in ponds every Bohaag Bihu, the celebration of the Assamese New Year. It is a tradition in which everyone participates in outside their homes. “But this time in April during Bihu the ponds were almost dry,” he said.

The Economic Times

The government is implementing the Swaminathan Commission report for improving living standards of farmers and upliftment of farm sector, said agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh.