In a series of measures to check stubble burning in the ongoing Kharif season, the Punjab government has appointed 8000 Nodal Officers in the paddy growing villages of the state, with 23,500 more machines being given to farmers for in-situ management of paddy straw.
Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also appealed to the farmers not to burn the crop residue, as it could aggravate Covid-19 conditions apart from leading to pollution spread. Seeking the support and cooperation of the farmers in preventing stubble burning amid the pandemic, he said that experts had warned it could have serious implications for the vulnerable people, already suffering from lung and other diseases.
Captain Amarinder said while he had been repeatedly following up with the Prime Minister for compensation to the farmers for defraying the cost on the management of paddy straw, the state was also taking various steps to educate the farmers about the problem. The state government has been seeking from the Centre Rs 100/quintal as compensation to enable the farmers to manage the paddy straw without burning it.