DC Ferozepur to launch `smart farmer’ campaign to curb stubble burning

Ferozepur, October 22, 2019: In a unique initiative to wipe out the stubble burning from the Ferozepur district, Deputy Commissioner Mr Chander Gaind has decided to honour farmers who shunned the stubble burning with ‘Smart Farmer’ certificate.

The Deputy Commissioner Mr Chander Gaind on Wednesday will honour some progressive farmers who do not burn the stubble and help in keeping the environment clean in the district.

Divulging more, the Deputy Commissioner said that the drive is aimed at acknowledging such farmers so that their valuable contribution in saving the environment can be presented before the remaining farmers so make them follow such aware farmers.

Mr Gaind said ‘Smart Farmer’ certificate will be a recognition to such progressive and environment-friendly farmers as these smart farmers would also be invited in awareness seminars or Kisan Melas as speakers so that they can share their experience with the stubble-burning free farming.

The Deputy Commissioner said that it was need of the hour to make the people especially farmers aware of the ill-effects of the paddy stubble burning, which was posing a danger to human health and the environment.

He said that the interaction by ‘Smart Farmers’ with others would be instrumental in awakening them about the need for paddy stubble management.

He emphasized on the role of crop residue in enhancing the fertility of the soil.

Mr Gaind reiterated that instead of burning the paddy stubble, the farmers must avail the subsidies on farm implements to efficaciously tackle the menace of paddy straw burning in the district thereby making the state pollution-free.

He added that to adopt paddy stubble management techniques, Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh was providing huge subsidies to the farmers for purchasing the ultra-modern equipment that could be useful in effective paddy straw management.

The deputy commissioner also appealed the farmers to sale the paddy residue to Ferozepur based Sukhbir Agro Energy limited and earn extra income up to Rs. 2000 per acre as the company has offered to buy the stubble at the cost of Rs. 130 per quintal which will be utilized by the company to produce electricity.

The Deputy Commissioner said that due to the burning of paddy stubble several major nutrients and other micronutrients of soil were destroyed whereas the soil health improves drastically if the residue of straw was mixed in the soil.