When farmers outside Delhi burn leftover straw in their fields, huge clouds of smoke are formed that blow in and settle like a lid over Delhi. Together with car exhaust and other emissions, the smoke creates a smog that causes Delhi to be classified as the world’s most polluted capital by the World Health Organization WHO.
Indian authorities are therefore trying to get the farmers to stop burning, among other things through fines. But as long as the farmers had no other options to get rid of the stubble, the fires continued. But now there is hope.
– We have developed an environmentally friendly solution, which causes the straw to decompose super quickly and become a nutritious fertilizer, says Sunil Pappi, from the state institute for agricultural research.
Capsules or powder
The spray of natural microorganisms will be manufactured and sold by twenty different companies. To facilitate shipping, the spray comes in the form of capsules or powder, which the farmers easily dissolve with water on site.
Svedjebruk’s share of air pollution has previously been able to amount to around 40 percent on certain days, but so far this year the level is five percent. The spray is one of many projects to reduce air pollution, and together they seem to be paying off. Delhi today has the best air quality index (259) since 2015 when the measurements started.
See more in the clip above.