Proponent of natural farming from Kurukshetra

Kurukshetra, January 27

Dr Hari Om (65), who has been working in the field of natural farming, will be conferred with the Padma Shri award in the science and engineering category.

Dr Hari Om, along with Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, had taken up natural farming at Gurukul in Kurukshetra.

Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Hari Om, a former principal scientist, CCS HAU, Hisar, said the health of soil, animals, birds, plants and humans was being affected, so finding an alternative to chemical farming had become inevitable. “Natural farming means farming with the help of micro-organisms. We try to enhance bacterial colonies in the soil,” he said.

Chemical practices worrisome

Farmers are using 8-10 bags of urea in the production of vegetable crops. Chemical farming practices are destroying our natural resources. It’s a matter of concern. —Dr Hari Om, State training adviser

He informed that due to the increase of organic carbon and beneficial microbes, the immunity of the soil and plants increased and the plants became capable of resisting the incidence of pests and diseases.

He added, “I am working as the state training adviser under the state government project being run at Gurukul. Farmers are being trained at the institute. Officials of the state Agriculture Department, and over 500 agricultural scientists of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research have received training here.”