Solutions to stubble burning exist, changing mindset is key: A K Padhee

Substituting Kharif paddy with other remunerative crops (like cotton, maize, soybean, fruits and vegetables, etc suiting the market) is one solution, says Padhee

Come winter, North India is engulfed in a thick concoction of smoke, pollutants and heavy air that makes lives miserable for people in most cities here. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, country director-India of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) talks to Sanjeeb Mukherjee about the various aspects of the problem and also how it can be tackled without harassing the farming community. Edited excerpts:

Stubble burning has become a big cause for pollution in North India during winter. A lot of theories are floating around. What, according to you, is the root cause?

There could be a multitude