Forty years after the Green Revolution provided food security to millions in the country and changed the Punjab’s economy, its ecology needs immediate attention due to ill-affects of Green Revolution, especially the rotation of wheat-paddy, as per the latest scientific findings on the prevailing environmental conditions.

The rivers are contaminated. Underground water in large parts of the state is laced with pesticides. The underground water resources are depleting fast. Farm incomes are declining. The rising number of vehicles, industries, unplanned urbanization besides burning of crop stubble has resulted in severe air pollution and the soil has lost it fertility — all ill affects of the disastrous cropping pattern of wheat and paddy followed in Punjab.

The PSCST today released two well-documented books — “State of Environment in Punjab-2007” and “Environmental and Indicators for Punjab”. While releasing the books, minister for environment Bikram Singh Majithia said, “Time has come to formulate a policy that ensures food security along with sustainable development”.

Tragically, to correct all this, the cash-strapped state needs huge amounts of money and a strong political will to turn it around. Majithia says, “It becomes imperative for the Central government to repay the state for the loss of environment, soil and water resources”.

The reports states, “The exploitative agricultural practices in the past two to three decades have put tremendous pressure on the soil thus resulting in the lack of fertility”. The levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, Zinc, iron and manganese - all key nutrients — have fallen. Punjab leads the country in using fertilizers -- 192.5 kg per hectare and pesticides at 923 grams per hectare. Quoting studies the reports states that the residue of chemical pesticides has been found in humans, milk, water, vegetables and other food products. The subsidy on fertilizers encourages the framers to use fertilizers in excess thus leading to adverse impact on soil quality.

The report goes on to state that 103 out of the total of 137 blocks in the state are “over exploited” by tube wells drawing underground water. This means people are drawing more water than what is replenished naturally. The policy of free power to farmers has aided overuse of water for crops like water-guzzling paddy.

Only 25 blocks fall in the safe category and that too in the southwestern part of Punjab that has brackish and saline water that is unfit for agriculture hence it is not fit for irrigation purpose.

Burning of crop residue in open field or straw is causing air pollution besides causing respiratory, skin and eye diseases. The Green Revolution has meant that Punjab has 14 per cent of all tractors of the country. The per capita agricultural debt is Rs 41,576 in Punjab as against the national average of Rs 12,585. Most of the loans were taken for tractors, tube wells, farm chemical and seeds. Hence it was like banks virtually financing the over extraction of water and excess use of fertilizers.

The village ponds, a traditional source of groundwater recharge, have been destroyed. Not more than 5,000 such ponds exist in the entire state whereas just a decade or so at least 15,000 ponds existed.

In the absence of sewage and effluent-treatment plants, the rivers are badly hit. Notably the study points out that all 137 municipal towns that have been identified for solid waste disposal only 37 have land that will take the load beyond 20 years.