This article has been published in partnership with Merino Industries
A drive through the North Indian countryside at this time of the year promises to be beautiful. Acres upon acres of crops, their golden hues signifying a beautiful harvest, account for a major chunk of your view.
But, a silent threat looms in the backdrop. Across agrarian units in Delhi and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plains, stubble burning in winter has proven to be a menace — one that ripples into an annual public health crisis.
Come October, farmers busy themselves reaping the grain. What’s left behind are two-foot-high stubble stalks. With only a short window before the land is prepared for the next cropping season, setting fire to the field seems the only viable solution to do away with the stubble for most farmers. But, the burning does not come without adverse effects — both, on the nation’s air quality and its citizens’ lungs while further deteriorating the quality of soil.
While correlating air quality data with respiratory health, a study found that most farmers with compromised lung function were those who had been exposed to long hours of toxic haze. The plumes of smoke are a bed for gaseous pollutants — 149.24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), over 9 million tonnes of carbon monoxide (CO), 0.25 million tonnes of oxides of sulphur (SOX), 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter, and 0.07 million tonnes of black carbon, to be precise.
In fact, a study probing the culprit for the dipping winter AQI (air quality index) of the Delhi-NCR region discovered that a statistically significant half of particulate matter is contributed by burning crop residues.
Outlawing and incentivising stubble burning haven’t had the desired outcome. So, instead of punishing the process, can industries combat stubble burnings with advanced mechanisms? Merino Industries, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of decorative laminates, has an inventive take on this.
“As part of its commitment to environment and sustainability, under its programme named ‘Nirmal’, Merino Industries — in collaboration with VNIT Nagpur — has developed an innovative solution at Merino Innovation Center at VNIT Nagpur to overcome the stated challenges of stubble burning. In situ, rapid digestion of paddy straw is achieved through a patented microbial culture called ‘Bajarang Baan’, which converts paddy straw into nutrient-rich compost in about 20 days. The compost so produced meets FCO Standards. The solution so developed is in production use at Merino Hapur where approximately 2 MT of paddy straw is converted per day into nutrient-rich compost and has also been deployed through CII at Sangrur, Barnala, and Sirsa. The entire operation is simple to carry out and is cost-effective,” Mr Prakash Lohia, CMD, Merino Industries, shares.
Where there is smoke, there is fire
The NCR city routinely battles farm fires stemming from stubble burning every winter. The farmers are not without solutions, but they share a reluctance to shed old habits and transition to new ones.
Some of the farmers blamed a stubborn mindset — “We don’t remember a time when we have not burned [stubble] in our 12 acres of land. We know it destroys soil nutrients but it is not easy to change.”
On the one hand, stands India’s farming community, which struggles to deal with the side effects of ineffective disposal of paddy straw (to the tune of 20 MT per year), while on the other are policymakers who are advocating for better air quality indices. Merino Industries promises a landmark solution to bridge the chasm.
For over five decades, environmental protection has remained an inseparable part of their economic activity with their ‘Nirmal’ programme addressing five pillars — Bhūmih (soil), Apah (water), Analah (fire), Vayu (air), and Khang (space). The multinational recently claimed to have succeeded in meeting nearly 75 percent of its energy needs through renewable sources.
When paddy straw becomes compost
As per the agricultural statistics, Punjab, Haryana, NCR amid other North Indian areas are major rice producers in the country, generating approximately 50 million tonnes of paddy straw annually. Around 88 percent of the paddy straw is reportedly burnt in the fields.
Revealing how they are reinventing the wheel of dealing with stubble, Merino Industries points to their patented microbial culture ‘Bajarang Baan’, which converts paddy straw into nutrient-rich compost in about 20 days.
Detailing the tactic, Mr Lohia shares the compost is prepared through an ingenious in-situ rapid digestion at the Merino Hapur plant. “Approximately 2 MT of paddy straw is converted per day into nutrient-rich compost and has also been deployed through CII at Sangrur, Barnala, and Sirsa. The entire operation is simple to carry out and is cost-effective. The process is devoid of any pretreatment other than straw size reduction and post-operation separation,” Mr Lohia points out.
This is a suitable alternative to avert stubble burning for more reasons than one. Mr Lohia shares the findings of a report that spotlighted the array of benefits that in-situ utilisation of paddy straw has in bringing the nutrients back to the soil — otherwise lost during burning or transporting the residues for use outside the farm.
He is confident that “such practices and business models would also ensure economic growth for the farmers as well as a cleaner environment. This soil incorporation will have long-term benefits for improving the quality of soil, increasing water-use efficiency, and reducing the intensity of chemical fertilisers being used.”
No doubt, the technology is innovative, boasting a quick and radical alternative to burning the stubble. While being in synergy with Merino Industries’ commitment to the environment, the process utilises electricity only during the size reduction of paddy straw and the rendered compost also improves the quality of the soil it is added to.
“We are proud to create & collaborate with VNIT at the Merino Innovation Center within the campus, which stands as a testament to how academia and industry can unite to create meaningful, problem-solving solutions. The encouraging results from our test beds give us confidence in expanding these practices across the farmlands in order to address critical air quality issues from stubble burning. This initiative aligns with Merino’s mission of promoting Universal Weal through trade and industry, contributing to both environmental and societal well-being,” says Mr Lohia.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
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