Punjab gears up to tackle air pollution due to burning of paddy straw

Chandigarh, September 24, 2014: With the onset of harvesting season of Paddy, the Punjab Agriculture Department today provided a viable alternative to the farmers to desist them from burning paddy straw and residue. The Agriculture Department today decided to provide 4000 mowing machines on subsidised  to the cooperative societies for the utilisation of farmers as these machines could be used to mow the straw in the soil rather than  burning it. The farmers could also avail subsidy on the direct purchase of these machines.
Agriculture Minister Jathedar. Tota Singh while presiding over a meeting with the Agriculture Machine Manufacturers of Punjab at Kisan Bhawan said that the Punjab Government has decided to motivate farmers to adopt mechanical mowing machines to mow straw in earth rather than burning it to reduce air pollution. The Minister said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has also directed to provide incentives to those Agri. Machine Manufacturer who come out with low cost machinery. He said that Chief Minister has desired to have meeting with all the Agriculture Machine Manufactures of the state and soon a meeting would be fixed with the CM to share ideas with Agri. Machine Manufacturer community and adopt new eco friendly technologies.
The Agriculture Minister said that before mowing the straw was practical eco friendly alternate mechanism and we have to encourage it. He said that Punjab Government has taken lead in providing new mechanism to destroy mow straw instead of burning. He said that the Punjab Government is going to provide three types of machines on subsidy to the farmers, one machine would cut 1-2 inches pieces of straw which could be used as fodder, second machine that would cut pieces of straw to utilise it for mushroom growing and third machine for making bundles of mow straw to a size that could be used for biomass power plants.
Agriculture Minister instructed the officials of the department to adopt a transparent & proper standard system while testing of mow straw cutting machines.
During the meeting Suresh Kumar stressed upon the need to develop machines and technologies to reduce post production losses of crops.
Prominent other present in the meeting include Mangal Singh Director Agriculture, BR Kataria Joint Director Engineer Wing and Agriculture machine Manufactures from across the state.

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