Patiala district looks for paddy management solutions before harvesting season

Patiala, July 5

In order to end stubble burning, the district is looking forward to a solution to the problem of paddy management before the harvesting season. To effectively implement the initiative, Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray held a meeting with the industry using straw in various forms, brick kiln owners, and the baler association today.

Parray stated that during the last season, there was a 43 per cent reduction in incidents of straw burning in the district, adding that this time the goal was to have complete control.

He said this time an estimated 1.37 million MT of straw would be produced in the district, out of which a proposal has been made to remove 416,000 MT from the fields through ex-situ management for use as fuel or other purposes. He said the remaining straw would be mixed in the soil through in-situ management by the Agriculture Department. In the last season, around 250,000 MT of straw were removed from the fields to be used elsewhere.

The DC said the state government has been promoting industries that make pellets and briquettes from straw so that farmers do not have to burn the paddy straw and it can be collected from the fields and used for other purposes. On the other hand, efforts were being made to raise awareness among farmers about the importance of in-situ crop management to increase soil fertility.

Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner emphasised the importance of increasing the target for industries that make pellets and briquettes from straw to use as fuel. The DC also listened to the various challenges faced by the baler association and commended their contribution in removing straw from the fields and transporting it to the industry, encouraging them to contribute more in the upcoming harvesting season.

Punjab Pollution Control Board Environmental Engineer Rohit Singla organised a meeting and provided information about the ex-situ management proposal for straw. ADC Urban Development Navreet Kaur Sekhon, Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Jaswinder Singh, and DDPO Amandeep Kaur, among others, were present at the meeting.