Workshop on paddy straw management: Lodging FIR not solution for stubble burning, says Bhagwant Mann
The chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said lodging FIRs against the farmers is not the solution to tackle stubble burning as it involves social stigma
The chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said lodging FIRs against the farmers is not the solution to tackle stubble burning as it involves social stigma.
The Punjab CM was addressing a one-day workshop on ‘Parali - Ek Punji’ (paddy stubble - a wealth) jointly organised by Commission for air quality management (CAQM) and the Punjab pollution control board (PPCB), at Mohali.
The paddy stubble burning becomes a major concern at the time of the onset of winter in the October-November months every year. The smoke rising due to farm fires in the fields of Punjab, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh engulfs the north Indian states, including the New Delhi and NCR region leading to a thick jacket of smog, a major health and environmental hazard.
It needs mention that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ahead of the paddy harvest last year had demanded ₹2,500 per acres bonus to the paddy growers for managing paddy stubble. As per the proposal, the state governments of Delhi and Punjab offered to contribute ₹500 each (per acre) and demanded ₹1,500 from the Centre. But the Union government turned down the proposal. Earlier, the previous Congress party government had also demanded a bonus of ₹100 per quintal on paddy procured to support farmers in the management of paddy stubble.
On the occasion, Mann also demanded the immediate release of the pending share of taxes and rural development fund (RDF) before Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav here.
Stressing the need for the financial stability of the state, Mann said RDF and other accruals to the tune of ₹2,800 crore are pending for the past two seasons.
“The states must be empowered to play an effective role in the development of the country, for that the Union government must release the pending share of taxes and other accruals,” he added, seeking the intervention of Union minister Yadav.
Describing paddy straw as an asset, Mann underlined the need for developing a sustainable mechanism for its management.
It is a long pending issue of the entire northern region but the farmers lack any viable mechanism to manage crop residue, he added.
CM said the short-duration varieties of paddy are a solution for farm fires. Mann said the long-duration varieties leave farmers with a short window for wheat sowing, forcing them to burn crop residue.
“Sugarcane is a viable substitute for the paddy but farmers have to face the difficulties of selling it. Sugarfed has already cleared all the pending arrears of the farmers,” informed Mann, adding that the state government has procured sugarcane at state advise price (SAP) of ₹380 per quintal.
Citing an example of a private company, Mann said that the company took the initiative to manage the stubble on 47,000 acres, adding that such companies should be encouraged. CAQM chairperson MM Kutty, state environment minister Punjab Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and state chief secretary VK Janjua were also present.
Start early preparations
Union minister Bhupender Yadav praised Punjab and Haryana for lowering the incidents of paddy straw burning by 40% and suggested making an early start this season for crop residue management during the Kharif harvest in the months of October and November.
“In the past, we used to start in July and August months, but why delay it when we can prepare early,” he said, asking the deputy commissioners to identify vacant lands in the cluster of villages for storing paddy straw, suggesting the farmers make efforts to store paddy straw.
Answering a query from the media persons about incentives to Punjab farmers, Yadav said that the Centre was already giving subsidies for purchasing machines for crop residue management and would continue to support the farmers. He called upon farmers, NGOs and the industry of the entire paddy-growing area to join hands to deal with the problem.
Water conservation a top priority: Khattar
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar asked the Punjab government to resolve inter-state water issues amicably. Khattar said Haryana does not have a water source of its own, but its agriculture and drinking needs are huge.
“We are fulfilling drinking water requirements of the national capital also from our available share,” he said in his address adding that the state is already giving Delhi additional water.
Haryana-Punjab are locked in a long legal over water from Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and Haryana is seeking implementation of the decree of the Supreme Court, which had asked for the completion of the canal.
“Along with the management of paddy stubble, conservation of water should also be a top priority,” suggested Khattar. Haryana CM informed that his government is giving an incentive of ₹2,500 per tonne on stubble, along with other subsidies, to the farmers.
