Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Tuesday appealed to farmers to not burn leftover stubble in the paddy fields. Apart from causing fire accidents, the practice also causes health problems to people, he said.
The minister directed agriculture department officials to take steps to halt burning of stubble.
Asked about the directive, W.G. Prasanna Kumar, senior social scientist from the TS Pollution Control Board said, burning stubble was harmful. He said the farmers would find it more beneficial if they tilled the land along with the hay and turned it into manure.
He said that smoke from stubble burning was especially harmful in winter as it caused the formation of smog — a combination of smoke and fog. He said that smoke particles get suspended and comes to the ground level as there is less air movement during winter.
