DC flags off awareness vans to sensitise farmers against stubble burning

Ludhiana: Starting a drive to educate the peasantry about harmful effects of stubble burning, Ludhiana deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik on Thursday flagged off awareness vans that would visit various villages in the district and spread awareness against stubble burning for the next 40 days.
Flagging off the vans from the district administrative complex, Malik said the vans were fitted with audio messages that would disseminate information about the hazardous effects of burning paddy stubble. She said paddy stubble was useful for the farmers and should not be burnt at any cost. She added that crop residue could play an important role in enhancing soil fertility, if harvested in the fields with the help of modern equipment. She appealed to the farmers to use the ‘I-Khet’ app to book these machines for managing the stubble, and sai thd at stubble burning poses a great threat to the environment and must be avoided at every cost.
Malik expressed hope that these vans would be instrumental in awakening the farmers about the need for crop residue management. She also asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board, and departments of agriculture, cooperative societies, rural development and panchayats, and education to intensify awareness activities in the villages on ground level through public meetings, seminars and public announcements. She also reiterated that instead of burning the stubble, farmers must use farm equipment to efficaciously tackle stubble burning in the district, thereby making it pollution-free. On the occasion, chief agriculture officer Amanjit Singh was also present.