GreenBeacon

As India enters the wheat harvesting season, vast stretches of farmland in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan are once again engulfed in thick smoke. The practice of burning wheat husk (straw) post-harvest has become a major environmental and public health disaster. Despite bans and awareness campaigns, the rate of stubble burning continues to rise, choking cities, degrading soil, and accelerating climate change.  Why Is Wheat Husk Burning Increasing? ✔   Quick & cheap disposal  – Manual removal is labor-intensive and expensive. Cutting, collecting, and transporting wheat straw requires significant manpower. ✔   Preparation for next crop  – Burning clears fields faster for the next sowing cycle. Hiring laborers for straw management can cost  ₹5,000–₹7,000 per acre , making it unaffordable for small farmers. Unlike burning, which clears a field in hours, manual removal takes  3-4 days per acre , delaying the next crop cycle. After whea...

The Narmada river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat between Vindhya and Satapura hill ranges before falling into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian. It is one of only two major rivers in peninsular India that runs from east to west (longest west flowing river), along with the  Tapti Rive r. It is one of the rivers in India that flows in a  rift valley , bordered by the  Satpura   and  Vindhya  ranges. As a rift valley river, the Narmada does not form a delta, Rift valley rivers form estuaries. Other rivers which flow through the rift valley include the  Damodar River  in  Chota Nagpur Plateau  and Tapti. The Tapti River and  Mahi River  also flow through rift valleys, but between different ranges. It flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh (1,077 km (669.2 mi)), and  Maharashtra , (74 km (46.0 mi)), (39 km (24.2 mi)) (actually along the border between Madhya Prades...

  The Vindhya Range near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh is the source of the Betwa River, which is also referred to as Vetravati in ancient literature. Before entering the Yamuna River close to Hamirpur, it flows 590 kilometers northeast through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Betwa River basin is mostly in Madhya Pradesh and spans an area of around 46,580 square kilometers. It contributes significantly to the Bundelkhand region's agriculture and water supplies and is one of the Yamuna's major tributaries. The Betwa, sometimes known as Madhya Pradesh's lifeline, provides drinking water, irrigation, and small-scale industry to the area. Along its banks are the culturally and historically significant areas of Rajnagar, Orchha, and Jhansi Notwithstanding its advantages, the river's ecological health is threatened by issues including pollution, sand mining, and seasonal variations in flow. For this important river to be preserved for future generations, sustai...