Organic farming to cleanse Ganga

The government is promoting organic farming along the Ganga coastline to keep the river clean and control pollution.

As part of a joint initiative of the ministries of agriculture and water resources, people living in 1,657 clusters of 1,657 gram panchayats from Uttarakhand to West Bengal will be motivated to carry out organic farming to reduce use of polluting chemical fertilizers and pesticides to ensure that the Ganga is restored to its purity. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect has already been signed between the two ministries.

“Rivers play an important role in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Ganga is a symbol of cleanliness as well as purity since time immemorial in India. To make the Ganga clean again, it is imperative that organic farming be promoted in the townships and villages along the banks of the Ganga to minimise the use of harmful pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals in agriculture,” said agriculture minister Radhamohan Singh.

The minister said it would also provide all wholesale vegetable markets with '10 lakh each to help clean the rivers. One per cent of all funds meant for agriculture-related activities would be dedicated to the cleanlines drive, he added.

He said that all the 648 Krishi Vikas Kendras (KVK) would adopt five villages each and clean them up and maintain them.

The ministry through KVKs has promoted cleanliness activities in 3,040 villages with the active participation of farmers and village youth.

Officials concerned said efforts had been made to promote clean farming technologies and package of practices as well as to make best use of farm waste.

Various technologies making best use of agricultural wastes like, preparation of bio-compost, vermin-composting, whey utilisation, straw enrichment, waste water recycling, cotton waste management, fisheries waste management and engineering technologies are also being used.