PATNA: Expressing his grave concern over uninterrupted practice of burning of crop residue by farmers despite the state government’s repeated advice and warnings, CM Nitish Kumar on Monday asked the state’s top officials to do aerial survey of different parts of the state in next three-four days to assess the ground realities.
He also asked the officials to take all necessary measures to stop the practice of stubble burning by educating and persuading the farmers, but without taking any punitive actions.
Speaking at an agriculture department’s event after formally inaugurating the launch of the climate smart agriculture programme (CSAP) in all 38 districts in the state, Nitish said when he was returning from Banka district through air route on Saturday, he saw that crop residues were being burnt almost everywhere in Banka and Jamui districts.
“Few days back, when I went to Nalanda district, similar views of stubble burning were seen. Plots after plots were seen covered with ‘black ash’ due to the practice of stubble burning. I saw the incidents of crop residue burning even in Patna district,” the CM said and asked the state’s chief secretary Deepak Kumar and the agriculture secretary N Saravana Kumar (who were present there) to take the state helicopter for next three-four days and go to different parts of the state to assess the actual scenario.
The CM said the state government last year launched a vigorous campaign to educate farmers against the stubble burning. Still, the farmers are indulging in the practice. Moreover, the practice of stubble burning is spreading to new areas, despite our efforts to check it.
“Please go to the districts, take officials of the agriculture department and the concerned DM and try to know from villagers why the farmers are not leaving the practice of crop residue burning,” Nitish told the chief secretary and other top officials.
CM said all the farmers must be educated about the harms of stubble burning. They should be informed that the crop residue burning would create a serious crisis on the environment and our next generation would be badly affected by it.
“Farmers should be also informed that the state government was providing a subsidy of 75%, (up to 80% for those belonging to the SCs and STs and EBCs), towards purchase of agricultural implements like rotary mulcher, straw reaper, straw baler and reaper cum binder. By using these implements, farmers can better utilize the crop residues without burning them in the field,” Nitish said.
One of the 11 components of the ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan’, which was also lauded by internationally renowned personalities like Bill Gates, the CSAP was launched in eight districts of the state last year as a pilot project. The eight districts which were covered in the first phase were Madhubani, Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nawada, Nalanda and Gaya. “Today, the CSAP is being extended in all 38 districts,” the CM said.