Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 17

Two nondescript villages in Patiala are leading the way in showing the farming community across the state that paddy stubble can be managed without burning. Farm fires in these villages have come down to zero from over 100 in the past two years. Self-help groups (SHGs), backed by the district administration and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) authorities, have turned these two villages into “stubble burning-free” villages.

In Bibipur and Bhishanpur Chhanna villages, the administration convinced a few rich farmers who could afford machinery to attend workshops that made them aware about the ill-affects of stubble-burning. They procured various agriculture implements with the help of the subsidy given by the state government. These farmers formed SHGs and bought equipment such as happy seeder, mulcher, reversible plough, rotavator, zero till-drill and reaper. Thereafter, they decided to provide these machines to fellow farmers on minimal rent, besides harvesting their own paddy crop.

“We fixed some nominal charges for giving the implements on rent to other farmers interested in management of paddy straw residue through in situ incorporation in fields, which includes their own tractor, driver, fuel and machinery. Our officials regularly visit these villages and provide all possible help to these SHGs,” claimed SS Matharu, Environmental Engineer, PPCB.

“Initially, convincing fellow farmers was tough, but with the support we got from the administration, we managed to rope in many landlords of the village who could afford the machinery and be torch-bearers in this anti-pollution drive,” said Gurbans Singh Punia of Bibipur village. “There are some misconceptions that the farmers have to spend a lot to get rid of stubble but our village has shown that is not the case as all farmers, including those owning two acres of land, are no longer burning the paddy stubble,” said Punia.

If one visits Bhishanpur Chhanna village, farmers can be seen harvesting their paddy crop with harvester combine fitted with super SMS where this straw is cut into small pieces and spread over the area where the paddy is harvested. “We harvest agricultural land and plough it with harrow and irrigate these fields applying 25 kg of urea per acre. Then after 10 days, we sow wheat with rotaseeder,” said Rajmohan Singh Kaleka, a farmer. “We do not want our children and elderly to die due to the lack of fresh air,” he said.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit said, “Around 100 odd farm fires were witnessed in the last two years, but this year, the village hasn’t witnessed any farm fire.”