KAPURTHALA: In a bid to achieve the goal of zero stubble burning this harvest season, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kapurthala, Amit Kumar Panchal, has directed agriculture department officials to make concerted efforts to drastically reduce stubble burning cases compared to the previous year.
Chairing a meeting with agriculture officers at the District Administrative Complex to review stubble management plans, the DC instructed Cluster Officers deployed at the village level to proactively identify hotspot areas in advance and organize awareness camps at village and block levels. Farmers should be sensitized about the environmental damage and health hazards caused by burning crop residue, he said.
Panchal emphasized the need for direct engagement with farmers before the harvesting season begins. He asked officials to encourage the use of subsidized agricultural machinery provided by the Punjab Government for in-situ management of paddy straw, enabling farmers to manage residue within the fields without resorting to burning.
The DC further directed that advance meetings be held with owners of harvesting machines to ensure that all combines are equipped with Straw Management Systems (SMS). This will help ensure that no hindrance arises in the eco-friendly disposal of paddy straw.
Meanwhile, officials from the Panchayati Raj department briefed the DC on the identification of panchayat lands that will be used to store baled paddy straw. For Sultanpur Lodhi block, identified villages include Kamalpur, Husainpur Bule, Masitan, Rawal, and Meere. In Kapurthala block, villages such as Alamgir, Kala Sanghian, Sidhwan Dona, Alodipur, Lakhon Khurd, Khusropur, and Dhadianwal have been selected.