DC and SSP lead a vigorous campaign against stubble burning 

Ludhiana, October 2, 2024: In an ongoing effort to combat the practice of stubble burning, Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal and Ludhiana Rural Police SSP Navneet Singh Bains visited several villages in the district on Wednesday and spoke with farmers to encourage them to work in tandem with the Punjab Government to protect the environment from the harmful effects of stubble burning.

Accompanied by officials from various departments, including the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department and the PPCB, Jorwal and Bains interacted with farmers from villages such as Haans Kalan, Chakar, Maunke, Dalla, Lakha, Akhara, Kaunke Kalan, Pabbia, Roomi, Kamalpura, Rasulpur, Mallan, and others. They discussed ways to prevent stubble burning and urged farmers to adopt crop residue management practices. They emphasized that burning fields not only poses environmental hazards but also depletes soil fertility by destroying essential nutrients. They also highlighted the need for collective efforts to stop such practices for saving the environment. They also mentioned the state government's campaign against this issue and emphasized the importance of active participation from all stakeholders. 

Deputy Commissioner Jorwal also mentioned that the district administration is closely monitoring farm fire incidents and taking prompt action when necessary. The administration has plans in place to manage approximately 16.53 lakh MT of paddy stubble this season, with a significant portion to be managed through in-situ and ex-situ methods. He also mentioned the 8978 machines, including balers, rakes, super seeders, smart seeders, surface seeders, zero drills, RMB ploughs, mulchers, straw choppers, super SMS, crop reapers, rotary slashers, and tractors, have been provided to farmers through custom hiring centers, societies, and groups to manage the crop residue efficiently so that this problem can be tackled properly. He also stated that he will visit more villages in the coming days to prevent such practices. 

Additionally, both DC Jorwal and SSP Bains recognized and appreciated the efforts of farmers who have abandoned stubble burning and are effectively managing residue using in-situ and ex-situ techniques.