A study that has analysed data for the last 30 years has
revealed that air pollution, arising out of smog and other pollutants,
drastically reduced wheat yields in densely populated states in the country by
nearly 50 per cent, making it significantly lower than what they could have
been in 2010.
According to the assessment, up to 90 per cent of the
decrease in potential food production seems linked to smog, made up of black
carbon and other pollutants.
The remaining 10 per cent are accounted by factors like
changes linked to global warming and precipitation levels. The research paper,
'Recent climate and air pollution impacts on Indian agriculture', published in
the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, analysed the impacts of
pollution on wheat production.
Scientists based their findings on the historical data on
crop yields, emissions and precipitation. The research has confirmed the
assessments and studies of scientists in the past on the impact of air
pollution on food production.
According to experts, the smog results in North India mainly
due to vehicular emissions and emissions from massive agricultural residue
burning in states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Massive crop residue burning takes place in Punjab, where it
is a banned activity, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The issue of open straw
burning is currently monitored by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has
directed the agriculture ministry to draft guidelines preventing the hazardous
practice at the earliest.
Vikrant Tongad, the petitioner in the case before the green
tribunal, said, "The Centre is not acting against the farmers polluting
the air because of political reasons".
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