Harms of nitrogen pollution discussed

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 8

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in collaboration with Khalsa College and Down to Earth magazine organised a seminar on `The Scourge of Nitrogen Pollution in India’ here today. The experts delved on the crisis of growing nitrogen pollution, is playing havoc with the farm lands in the country and how Punjab was the worst hit.

The key focus of the deliberations was to draw attention to the growing problem of nitrogen pollution in the country. The rampant use of nitrate fertilisers in agriculture to get higher yields has led to the menace, said experts. They stated that this had been resulting into severe contamination of soil and water, leading to health problems for humans and animals.

Gunbir Singh, chief of the Dilbir Foundation, said Punjab had paid a heavy price for the food security of the country.

“We have poisoned our soil, exploited the groundwater, which is turning the fertile land into barren patches. This is all for securing the food security for the nation. But when the soil gets polluted, the farming is in crisis. Nobody is standing with our farmers and they are being left to fend for themselves,” he added.