Awareness drive against stubble burning held at Verka govt school

As part of the Punjab Government’s Information, Education and Communication (IEC) plan for Crop Residue Management (CRM), the district administration on Tuesday held an awareness seminar at Government Senior Secondary School, Verka.

The team comprised Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Baljinder Singh Bhullar, Block Agriculture Officer Dr Harpreet Singh and Agricultural Extension Officer (Verka Circle) Hargurnad Singh.

“The IEC programme is an extensive campaign,” said Dr Baljinder Singh, “which aims to blanket the state, directly engaging communities, especially students and farmers, to drive a behavioural shift towards eco-friendly practices and promote sustainable agriculture. The younger generation needs to know and be active participants in countermeasures against the environmental damage caused by stubble burning.”

Students took part in speech and poster-making competitions on the management of paddy stubble, sharing ideas on how crop residue could be used as fertiliser to enrich soil and reduce pollution. They also performed songs and plays spreading the message of environmental conservation.

Prizes were distributed to the winners to encourage their participation. Hargurnad Singh said the IEC initiative would continue to engage students through creative discourse, Nukkad Nataks (street plays) and other awareness activities promoting sustainable farming.

Overall, the IEC campaign will deploy 50 publicity vans to spread messages in rural areas, organise 444 ‘Nukkad Nataks’, and create 12,500 wall paintings highlighting the benefits of CRM and the ill effects of stubble burning.