“Five percent less thatch-burning area is reported this year in the Punjab, the chief secretary said. (File)
Chandigarh:
Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said on Saturday the state had so far reported stubble burns on 7.49 lakh hectares, about five percent less than it had witnessed at the same period last year.
“Five percent less stubble burn area is reported this year in the state thanks to effective crop residue management and concerted efforts to educate farmers,” Mahajan said in a statement.
In a virtual meeting with senior officers, deputy commissioners and a Chief Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Chandigarh, she expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the state government to end the practice. dangerous.
Ms. Mahajan called on officials to further step up their efforts to eradicate the threat.
She said about 137 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have so far arrived in the mandis, 33 percent more than the previous year.
She said the district administration should strictly enforce the instructions to ensure that there is no stubble burning in the days to come.
The total straw burning area this year was 7.49 lakh hectares compared to 7.90 lakh hectares last year, or 5.23% less, she said.
Deputy Development Secretary-General Anirudh Tewari told the Chief Secretary that as of October 30 this year, 2,799 cases of straw burning had been reported compared to 3,135 last year.
In Bathinda district, 202 cases have been reported this year compared to 343 last year.
Likewise, in Ferozepur, 290 cases of farm fires were reported compared to 328 last year.
Taking stock of the supply, lifting and payment of the paddy, the Chief Secretary learned that out of a total of Rs 22,753.44 crore, the payment of Rs 22,506.10 crore has been paid to farmers until now.
