Soil Pollution
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31st July 2023
Soil pollution is a chemical degradation process that consumes fertile soils, with implications for global food security and human health. As per the 2019-20 Soil Health Survey conducted by the Indian government, 55 percent of the country’s soil is deficient in nitrogen, 42 percent in phosphorus and 44 percent in organic carbon.
Causes of Soil Pollution: It is pollution caused by (i) pesticides, herbicides, and fumigants (ii) chemical fertilizers and
(iii) Air pollutants washed down from atmosphere through rain
Effects of Soil Pollution:
- Agricultural: Reduced soil fertility, Reduced nitrogen fixation, Increased erodibility, Reduced crop yield
- Industrial: Dangerous chemicals entering underground water
- Ecological imbalance: Release of pollutant gases, Increased salinity, Reduced vegetation
- Urban: Clogging of drains, Inundation of areas, Public health problems, Pollution of drinking water sources,
- Foul smell and release of gases, Waste management problem
Government Measures: Five-pronged strategy for soil conservation.
The components include making soil chemical-free, saving soil biodiversity, enhancing SOM, maintaining soil moisture, mitigating soil degradation and preventing soil erosion.
- Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme: Which assess the current status of soil health and guides farmers to make necessary soil amendments.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: To prevent soil erosion, regeneration of natural vegetation, rainwater harvesting and recharging of the groundwater table.
- National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture to promote sustainable agriculture practices.
- PM-PRANAM Scheme: To reduce the use of chemical fertilizers by incentivizing states to adopt alternative fertilizers.
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): To produce agricultural products free from chemicals and pesticides residues by adopting eco- friendly, low- cost technologies
Way Forward:
- Reusing of materials Glass containers, plastic bags, paper, fabric, and other materials can be reused at home rather than disposed of, minimising solid waste pollution.
- Recycling and recovery of materials: Paper, various types of plastics, and glass can all be recycled, and they are.
- Reforesting: Land loss and soil erosion can be slowed by restoring forest and grass cover, which helps to prevent wastelands, soil erosion, and floods.
- Crop rotation or mixed cropping can help to increase soil fertility.
- The proper strategies for managing solid waste disposal should be used.
SDG target 15 on land degradation neutrality mentions, by 2030 to combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
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