Ignoring environment ministry penalties of up to LE10,000, Daqahliya farmers nevertheless burned rice husks during Environment Minister Maged George’s visit to the governorate on Thursday.
Farmers complained that the husk-collection centers established by the ministry were located far from their respective land, burdening them with additional transportation costs.
The minister, for his part, said farmers must be educated about the potential hazards caused by the practice.
“These fires threaten the environment and pubic health,” George said, noting that the ministry had some 261,000 “trainers” mandated to explain to farmers the importance of recycling husks rather than burning them.
“Five years ago, there was a single company devoted to recycling husks,” the minister said. “Today, there are four companies.”
George said the ministry was currently studying a project aimed at generating electricity from rice husks.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
