Govt to appoint nodal officers in villages to check stubble burning

STRAW MANAGEMENT

CHANDIGARH:THE Punjab government has decided to appoint nodal officers in 8,000 paddy growing villages in a move to check stubble burning.

Additional chief secretary (development) Viswajeet Khanna said all deputy commissioners have been asked to depute nodal officers at the affected villages to spread awareness on dangers of stubble burning and keep a strict vigil over post-harvesting operations.

Khanna said the staff of cooperation, revenue, rural development and panchayats, agriculture, horticulture and soil conservation departments, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd and the Guardians of Governance, will be actively involved in the efforts.

The nodal officers will undertake various activities, ranging from holding meetings with the farmers, arranging crop residue management machines, distribution of pamphlets and leaflets in villages, besides making announcements in gurdwaras or by other modes.

These nodal officers have also been tasked to interact with village schools for organising rallies and awareness lectures to sensitise students so that they could prevail upon their parents to avoid stubble burning.

State nodal officer for antistubble burning campaign KS Pannu said for every 20 villages, an officer would be appointed to coordinate activities on ground. The nodal officers would submit their reports through the coordinating officers to the SDMS. 65 lakh acres of land is under paddy in Punjab

20 million tonnes of paddy straw is left in fields after harvesting

15 million tonnes paddy straw is burnt for early clearance of fields

₹100 per quintal relief sought by CM from Centre for farmers who abstain from burning residue