District admn to form committees at 71 villages to check stubble burning

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Amritsar, July 6

To check stubble burning in the fields during the coming paddy harvesting season, the district administration has identified a total of 71 villages and decided to form village-level committees with the involvement of district administration officials and village representatives.

DC Amit Talwar said the committees will be tasked to keep a check on the incidents of stubble burning. He added that crop residue burning incidents are first reported in these villages where those varieties of paddy are grown that are sown earlier, and the farmers are in a hurry to clear fields for vegetable crops.

The 71 villages identified by the administration fall in Rayya, Tarsikka, Jandiala Guru, Verka, Majitha and Attari blocks. After a meeting with the Block Agricultural Officers here on Thursday, Chief Agriculture Officer Jatinder Gill said the committees constituted at village levels would have sarpanch, lamberdar and two progressive farmers as members.

He added that the officials of Agriculture and allied departments would be appointed as cluster officers or village nodal officers to monitor the working of the committees. Gill said the government was providing the required machinery to farmers on subsidy for the management of crop residue. He added that baler machines that were being made available can easily help vegetable growers in clearing their fields without resorting to the burning of crop residue.

The district had reported a total of 871 farm fire incidents after the recent harvesting of wheat crop. It had, however, reported a total of 1,542 fire incidents (from September 15 to November 30) last year after the harvesting of paddy. Gill added that with an increase in awareness and vigil, the number of fire incidents was reducing with each passing season.

Sarpanch, lambardar, 2 farmers to compose panel

After a meeting with the Block Agricultural Officers here on Thursday, Chief Agriculture Officer Jatinder Gill said the committees constituted at village levels would have sarpanch, lambardar and two progressive farmers as members. The 71 villages identified by the administration for this purpose fall in Rayya, Tarsikka, Jandiala Guru, Verka, Majitha and Attari blocks.