Introduction:

Indian soils are generally deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and do not give high yields. It is, therefore, essential to feed these soils with chemical fertilizers so that their productivity increases. The significant contribution made by the chemical fertilizers can be seen from the impact of the Green Revolution on Indian agriculture. The health and growth of the fertilizer industry is vital for increasing the growth of agricultural sector, to meet the food-grain requirements of increasing population as well as increasing contribution to exports.

The industry has been classified under the ‘red category’ of polluting sectors by the Central Pollution Control Board

Body:

Indian Fertiliser industry:

• Fertilizer as an industry is under the control of the Union Government. Urea dominates the sector.
• It is the most produced (86%), the most consumed (74%) and the most imported (52%).
• India’s produces about 80 percent of its Urea fertilizer needs.
• And the fertilizer industry has the capacity to indigenously meet 50 percent of the country’s phosphatic fertilizers.
• But India still depends heavily on imports for the raw ingredients for its phosphatic and potassium fertilizers.
• The public sector undertakings are playing a dominant role in manufacturing chemical fertilizers.
• At present, there are 11 public sector undertakings under the administrative control of Department of Fertilizers.
• A number of private companies are also engaged in manufacturing fertilizers. E.g.: IEL (Kanpur), SRC (Kota), D.C.M. (Delhi) etc.

Factors of pollution that the industry is causing:

• A study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based non-profit, under its Green Rating Project (GRP) revealed the dismal state of pollution control by industries.
• Out of 52 per cent plants, assessed in the study, 12 plants received directions or show cause and even closure notices for water pollution and air pollution or solid waste mismanagement.
• There are relaxed norms for the discharge of untreated or partially treated industrial wastewater and emission of air pollutants.
• Management of solid wastes, particularly hazardous waste was also found to be poor.
• Pollutant standards for the sector were revised in 2017, but are still relaxed compared to international standards.
• Nitrogen becomes a pollutant when it escapes into the environment and reacts with other organic compounds.
• Nitrogen compounds running off farmland have led to water pollution problems around the world, while nitrogen emissions from industry, agriculture and vehicles make a big contribution to air pollution.
• While most plants are meeting the particulate matter (PM) standards, inefficient air pollution control devices or improper fuel combustion within the systems have led to high emission levels at some plants.
• There is also no regulation in India for parameters like emissions of gaseous ammonia from urea manufacturing,

Measures needed:

• There is an urgent need for stricter compliance check systems and enforcement of norms.
• The momentum for these changes has to be created through robust policies.
• State Governments and Central Government need to work in tandem to encourage farmers for ecological farming.
• Farmers have to be educated and taught to change their cropping pattern and move to multiple cropping.
• Use of bio-fertilisers should be encouraged.
• There is also a need to shift from fossil fuel based to renewable energy based fertiliser plants.

Conclusion:

Fertilisers are inevitable in our food security and economy as almost half of population is dependent on it. The need of the hour is for better regulation and sustainable ways of producing and using fertilisers which is in sync with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).