NAT HR-STUBBLE Hry chief secy directs officials to draw comprehensive plan to stop stubble burning

"in view of the coronavirus pandemic it is imperative to ensure zero-stubble burning in the state as many types of respiratory diseases could spread due to increase in pollution in the environment," Arora said. In the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Sanjeev Kaushal instructed officers to prepare programme to make the farmers aware of crop residue management.

Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora on Thursday directed officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to ensure there are no stubble burning cases in the upcoming paddy harvesting season. Many farmers in the agrarian states of Haryana and Punjab have in the past years set paddy residue afire despite a ban on this practice. Many violators have been slapped with fines and others booked for stubble burning.

Every year, Punjab and Haryana are blamed for the rising air pollution and smog due to stubble burning by farmers. The chief secretary, during a meeting, directed officers concerned to focus on ensuring zero-stubble burning in the state, an official statement said here.

Deputy commissioners, the vice-chancellor of the Haryana Agricultural University, the member secretary of the Haryana Pollution Control Board, the director of the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC), were among those present in the meeting which was held through video conferencing. She was apprised that according to HARSAC's satellite pictures and reports, there was a decline of 68 percent in incidence of crop residue burning last year in comparison to few previous years. To reduce the incidence of stubble burning, directions were also given to hold gram sabha meetings.

She instructed the officers of the agriculture department to focus on 'red zone' areas in districts which have regular incidents of stubble burning. Arora lso instructed that surveillance teams should be constituted and nodal officers be appointed to stop the practice of stubble burning. She emphasized that efforts should be made at the village-level, to make the panchayats and farmers aware of stubble burning. "in view of the coronavirus pandemic it is imperative to ensure zero-stubble burning in the state as many types of respiratory diseases could spread due to increase in pollution in the environment," Arora said.

In the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Sanjeev Kaushal instructed officers to prepare programme to make the farmers aware of crop residue management. PTI SUN ANB ANB.