Indian agriculture, air pollution, and public health in the age of COVID
Agriculture scientists and researchers study the possible impact to agricultural productivity due to COVID-19 disruptions and the increasing threat of pollution due to stubble burning in northern india. Emerging evidence supports the intuitive link between chronic health conditions associated with air pollution and the vulnerability of individuals and communities to COVID-19. Poor air quality already imposes a highly significant public health burden in Northwest India, with pollution levels spiking to hazardous levels in November and early December when rice crop residues are burned. The urgency of curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating a potential resurgence later in the year provides even more justification for accelerating efforts to dramatically reduce open agricultural burning in India.
The COVID-19 crisis presents a unique opportunity for policymakers to prioritize productive & environmental-friendly farming practices as long-term solutions, assert researchers.