Now check and book machinery for in-situ stubble management on i-khet app: DC Varinder Kumar Sharma

Ludhiana, September 18, 2021: In a move to ensure seamless access of the agro machineries for in-situ management of the paddy stubble, the farmers can now check the availability and book the machineries through i-Khet app by sitting at their homes. 
Disclosing further details, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that i-Khet mobile app would be available in the play store within few days. He said that app would facilitate farmers to have easy access to the agro machinery/equipment for in-situ crop residue management. 
He further said that the farmers can locate equipment they need on the app and this would fetch information about nearest farmers’ groups, individuals, co-operative societies or panchayats owing the same equipment along with their contact numbers within few seconds. He said that by contacting the owners, the machinery can be booked on the app also.  
He informed this year, a total of 489 stubble management equipment have been issued in Ludhiana through portal consisting 19 individual farmers, 30 panchayats, 105 co-operative societies and 335 farmers’ groups. 
Deputy Commissioner added that the district has issued 4884 various agro-machines including happy seeder, super seeder, mulcher, RMB plough, Super SMS, paddy straw chopper / shredder, zero till drill and others in last three years which can be checked through i-Khet App. 
Exhorting the farmers to adopt in-situ crop residue management wholeheartedly to manage the stubble, Sharma said that burning of paddy stubble was very hazardous for the farmers and land, which was considered mother by our agriculturalists. He said that burning of paddy ruins the health of soil besides casting a castigating effect on the environment. 
He added that due to burning of paddy stubble, several major and micro nutrients of soil get destroyed adding that the burning of paddy stubble produces several poisonous gases which have adverse effect on human health.
Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Narinder Singh Dhaliwal said that the department has already initiated awareness drive in the villages to sensitize the farmers about harmful effects of stubble burning on the human and environment.