Farmers in northern India burn fields, illegally, causing severe air pollution and health risks.

Indian farmers, mostly small-scale, burn their fields to clear crop residue for new planting, an illegal practice contributing to severe air pollution in northern India, including New Delhi. This burning releases cancer-causing particles, reduces soil fertility, and costs the economy around $95 billion annually. While the government offers subsidies for modern machinery to reduce burning, many farmers cannot afford these alternatives, making the practice a necessity for survival. This contributes to hazardous air quality, linked to over 1.67 million premature deaths in 2019.

December 01, 2024
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