In a major agricultural advancement, soil scientists at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur have developed a technique to improve soil quality and production of various crops, fruits and vegetable by using fly ash.
The solution discovered by the scientists of IGKV will simultaneously resolve the storage problem of fly ash and also increase the agricultural production by many folds, claimed Dr KK Sahu, principal scientist and public relation officer of the university. Fly ash is one of the residues generated as a by-product after combustion of coal and lignite in thermal power plants. Fly ash is slowly emerging as serious threat to human health and environmental hazard due to the absence of proper storage facilities, believe environmental experts.
Fly ash being discharged by about 11 power plants in Chhattisgarh is calculated as 9.7 million tonne per year which could raise storage problem in the country in coming year, said Dr Sahu, adding that use of fly ash in agriculture field concurrently resolve storage problem and also improve soil health.
Speaking about the benefits of using fly ash in cultivation of different crops, Dr Sahu, said fly ash contain various nutrients to nourish plants, elaborating that fly ash not only improve soil quality but also act as fertiliser. Use of the industrial residue along with nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and other requisite things in recommended quantity will greatly help the farmers to increase their production by many folds, asserter principal scientist.
Application of fly ash in farming will be emerged as boon for farmers of Chhattisgarh because its use in the field helps to lower the acidic nature of soil, informed the principal scientist of IGKV and further informed that about 60 per cent land area in the State is acidic in nature. Several parts of Korba are highly acidic in nature, he added. Besides improving soil quality and chemical properties of soil, the use of fly ash in the field will also improve production of various crops, vegetables and fruits, he claimed. With the application of fly ash, fertility of entisols (weekly developed soil) could be improved, said Dr Sahu.
Greatly impressed with the innovative research and positive results achieved by scientists of IGKV in using fly ash for agriculture purpose, General Manager of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Korba has assured to provide fly ash to farmers free of cost and also expressed his consent in providing transportation facility for the same. To spread awareness about the recent agricultural break through, IGKV in association with NTPC, Korba recently organised a day-long Farmer Fair at Lakhanpur, Katghora. Dr Sahu further informed that the fair was attended by scientists of IGKV along with general manager of NTPC, Korba, additional general manager, deputy general manager and other officials of NTPC, Korba. During the fair, the scientists threw light on the pros along with the cons of using fly ash on the agricultural fields. The fair was attended by over 300 farmers.
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