To promote crop diversification in Punjab, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has agreed to establish three multi-product radiation processing technology demonstration plants.
The plants would process high yielding varieties of basmati, potatoes, maize, sugarcane and other alternate crops in the State. The development was communicated by the BARC’s high-level team comprising Associate Director (RC and I) Group and head Isotope Applications and Radiopharmaceuticals Division Dr Gursharan Singh, head Food Technology Division Dr AK Sharma and head Desalination Division Dr PK Tiwari, that visited the State from July 22 to 24, to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday.
It was informed that BARC would provide technology and engineering support for setting up of these plants which would also process onions, wheat, suji, maida, spices and other commodities. Besides, the institute would also provide high yielding varieties of sugarcane, pulses including arhar, soyabean, moong besides groundnuts to the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) for its trials, which would be subsequently recommended to the farmers for sowing. Apart from this, team also agreed to suggest the technology for storage of potatoes in the State on scientific lines.
In another significant development, the BARC would set up an Isotope Hydrology laboratory for carrying groundwater investigations at SAS Nagar (Mohali). The lab would be instrumental for detection of Uranium, Arsenic, Phosphorous etc in the groundwater and its migration to determine the interconnectivity between aquifers and their recharge, age of water and water table assessment. Meanwhile, BARC team would also assist PAU in submitting its research proposals of different identified crop improvement areas — mutation breeding, soil health improvement, crop nutrition management etc to the Board of Research and Nuclear Science (BRNS). A detailed project for enhancing the shelf life or improvement of Kinnow, litchi, Guava, Pear and Mushrooms would also be submitted to BRNS. Assuring fulsome support and cooperation to BARC for this ambitious project, the CM said that the State would make all out efforts for completing these plants.