JALANDHAR
The earnest efforts by the Punjab government in wiping out the stubble-burning menace through new techniques and practices for managing the stubble have gained momentum with the farmers have been giving overwhelming support to the cause.
Lakhwinder Singh of Motipur Khalsa is one of such farmers who have been decomposing the stubble with the Mulcher machine and reversible MB ploughs in his fields since 2016. He said that this technique had also decreased his expenditure on fertilizers. Singh stated that earlier he used to procure equipment from co-operative society.
The stubble burning damages soil's nutrients including nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, and produces dangerous gases in the environment that lead to health problems among the people, he added. He stated that he along with other panchayat members had also held a meeting in the village and all took the oath not to burn the stubble.
Farmer Satwinder Singh of Muthada Khurd also said that he had not burnt the stubble for the last five years and this year, he has harvested stubble with the help of a super seeder. He said that the sowing of wheat could be done easily with this machine. Similarly, Jaswinder Singh of Rajpura who has shunned the stubble burning said that he has been managing the crop residue through in-situ technique. He is now creating awareness among his groups about the hazardous effects of this practice.
Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal appreciated the efforts of such farmers for adopting crop residue management and shunning stubble burning.