Expressing concern over the environmental hazards caused by stubble burning, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an incentive of ₹100 per quintal paddy to motivate farmers against burning of straw.
The incentive should be given to farmers so that they can arrange to manage the stubble without resorting to open burning, the CM said in the letter.
He pointed out that harvesting of paddy crop has already started in the state and is expected to pick up momentum over the next 10 days. The farmers in Punjab will face the challenge of managing nearly 20 million tonnes of paddy straw once again this season, he noted.
On its part, the state government is doing all it can to check the problem, said the CM, adding that around 28,000 machines on subsidy ranging from 50% to 80% were supplied to farmers last year.
As many as 26,000 machines will be given to them this year for in-situ management of paddy straw, he said. “In addition, a vigorous campaign has been launched at the grassroots level to sensitise the farmers against stubble burning, and its ill effects on environment and human health,” he wrote.
But since the time window available to farmers for sowing the next crop after harvesting of paddy is small, they end up resorting to stubble burning to quickly clear their fields to save the cost of managing paddy straw through machines supplied to them, the CM added.
{{/usCountry}}But since the time window available to farmers for sowing the next crop after harvesting of paddy is small, they end up resorting to stubble burning to quickly clear their fields to save the cost of managing paddy straw through machines supplied to them, the CM added.
{{/usCountry}}He said the additional cost of using the machines was between ₹2,500 and ₹3,000 per acre, which the farmers cannot afford.