New Delhi In order to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the farm sector, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) on Tuesday suggested shifting one million hectare of irrigated-rice fields from north to eastern India.
The country’s agriculture sector contributes 17% of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Rice is the biggest polluter besides livestock, it said. “Every year, water table is going down by 33% in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Overmining of water is creating pollution because of distortionary policy on inputs like power. One of the ways to address this issue is to shift some rice cultivation,” CACP chairman Ashok Gulati said.