'Punjab saw 50 percent dip in straw burning'

CHANDIGARH: Stubble burning has reduced by as much as 50% this year in 14 out of 22 districts in Punjab, mainly in Majha and Doaba, said Punjab agriculture and soil conservation secretary K S Pannu at a conference on 'Stubble Burning: Viable and Sustainable Solutions' as part of CII Agro Tech India-2018. The problem would reduce by 90% next year, he added.

"In Punjab, we have used Super Straw Management (SMS). The system needs to be attached to a combine harvester. The farmers were offered 50% subsidy for using this system and the SMS is now in use in 5,000 of 7,500 combine harvesters in the state," said Pannu.

He added that the government also worked hard to create awareness about the same among farmers, using social media platforms as well as through one-on-one interactions.

Pannu shared that a German organisation has showed interest in making Bio-CNG from straw in Punjab. He mentioned that from November 15 this year, the state had already started a survey of farmers to know about the reason for not adopting the machines that could reduce the problem of stubble burning. Based on the response, the state government will devise our strategy for the next year.

Pannu clarified that the reduction in paddy yield and the higher moisture content in paddy had no relation with the delayed sowing. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has published a paper which concludes that rainfall has led to such problems, he explained.

"With 4 million tonne of paddy residue in the soil, wheat productivity is bound to increase next year. Pesticide use should also drop by around 30%," remarked Shri Pannu, adding that Punjab government, along with the farmers, were working hard to ensure that the problem vanishes from the state at the earliest."

He concluded, "Punjab farmers believe in the adage of 'till more to grow more'. Here, we are telling them to embrace. This would be a major cultural and psychological change for the farmers. We are handholding them in this entire process."