Deputy Commissioner appreciates extension Cell of Guru Nanak National College Doraha for adopting 32 villages this year

Ludhiana: In what may be called a unique endeavour, the extension cell of Guru Nanak National College Doraha has adopted 32 villages this year and resolved to make them burn free. The team, under the guidance of the management and principal is moving from door to door to convince the farmers to adopt agricultural machinery. Apart from this it is identifying the marginal farmers who cannot afford to purchase machines and can be provided assistance.

    Deputy Commissioner Mr Varinder Kumar Sharma has appreciated the efforts of the college management for contributing in this noble cause.

    The team of Extension Cell under the guidance of its Dean Dr. Lovleen Bains has surveyed the villages of Doraha, Samrala and Sahnewal block and having identified the villages more prone to indulge in stubble burning, vowed to make them burn free. The cell is motivating the farmers to avail the services being offered by the college for their agricultural knowledge up-gradation. It has also given a call to the farmers for effective utilisation of natural resources and efficient management of crop residue for sustainable agriculture and safeguarding the environment.

    This year it has adopted 32 villages of Sahnewal, Doraha and Samrala blocks namely Ghulal, Bijlipur, Lal kalan , Kubba, khattran, Balala, Lopon , Khaira , Neelon, Chak, Rampur, Chak Sarwan Nath, Panglian,  Mehdoodan, Pangalian, Madpur, Mutton, Khattran, Ghulal, Bhagpur, Barwala, Bhagwanpura, Bharthala,  Ajnaud, Tibba, Majara, Umdepur, Daburjee, Bhathal, Gidri, Raul, Dugri and resolved to make them burn free. The cell, in order to provide a practical solution to the problem of scant machinery with marginal farmers, is supplying Happy Seeders, Mulchars, Rotodrill, MB Plough, Zero Till, Super Seeders with the assistance of the Agriculture Department and CII Foundation.

     Dean Extension Activities, Guru Nanak National College Doraha Dr. Lovleen Bains shared that in the year 2018-19, the cell had adopted 7 villages of Samrala block and made them burn free.

    “This effort of ours came to the notice of the then Secretary Agriculture Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu who arranged 8 machines including Happy Seeders, Muchars and Roto Drills for us. Mr. Pannu also visited our college to cheer us up in our efforts in battling against environmental pollution. With doubled vigour, we adopted 23 villages in the session 2019-20 and assisted the farmers with machinery on 1115 acres of land,” she added.

    “This year despite the Corona pandemic, our student volunteers went from door to door and convinced the farmers to adopt agri-machinery. We have adopted 32 villages this year and resolved to make them burn free. We have prepared a roster for the same. We issue machines to the farmers on a daily basis and maintain its accountability as well. It is particularly seen that the machinery is distributed equally among all as per the immediate need. The machine is taken back as soon as the work is over and made available to others,” the Dean further shared. “Along with this, we keep sensitizing the farmers about harmful effects of crop residue burning and entreating them to manage crop residue without burning in order to avoid degradation of the environment,” she said.

    General Secretary of College Management Committee of Guru Nanak National College Doraha Mr. Harpratap Brar shared, “We are motivating the farmers to avail the services being offered by the college for their agricultural knowledge up-gradation.”

     Principal of the college Dr Narinder Singh Sidhu told, “We are constantly on the go. Regular training to farmers regarding the issue is being provided by us with the help of the agriculture department and CII Foundation. We are confident that our goal of ‘No Residue burn’ shall be accomplished since we are getting healthy feedback and support of the farming community and the youth of the villages.”

     Nodal Officer Crop Residue Management for Agriculture Department Punjab cum Officiating Joint Director Agricultural Engineering Manmohan Kalia congratulated the extension cell of the college which has worked on ground level by involving students in the grand project of providing agri-machinery to farmers and checking the menace of stubble burning. He appreciated the extension cell of the college for making the villages burn free and shared this shall be a motivation for other educational institutions as they too should come forward and contribute their part in saving and preserving the environment.