Stubble burning: Teachers owning land to give affidavits

To check farm fires and to improve air quality in the entire region, the Education Department has been asked to inform the school principals, teachers and members of the non-teaching staff to submit an affidavit that they will not indulge in farm fires in case they possess agricultural land. The teachers and others will give it in writing that they will not burn stubble in their fields and the document would be kept in the school record. In case someone is found guilty, the record will be registered in the annual confidential report (ACR) of the teacher.

The Education Department has asked all principals to do the needful and the copy of the affidavit will also be submitted to the Education Department through e-mail. The last date of sending the certificates was today.

Besides, all principals of government schools of Punjab have been instructed to create awareness among the students in the morning assemblies about the ill-effects of stubble burning on health and how it increased the pollution levels at an alarming rate.

Under the initiative, competitions like declamation contests, slogan writing, poster making will be conducted in schools among the students. The parents will also be made aware about it during their interaction with the school authorities.

It may be mentioned that this is the crucial time in the state when maximum cases of farm fires are reported from various districts.