10 women self-help groups to help check stubble burning

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 17

In order to curb the menace of stubble burning and environment pollution, HMEL has formed 10 women self-help groups (SHGs) in villages around Guru Gobind Singh Refinery. It will provide them happy seeders along with high-powered tractors. The SHGs will provide crop sowing services through happy seeders to farmers, which would mulch the crop residue and help restrict stubble burning.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Praneet Bhardwaj on Saturday handed over the happy seeders and tractors to the members of eight SHGs falling in Tarkhanwala, Raman village, Malkana, Sekhu, Bagha, Giana, Kanakwal and Phullokhari. The remaining two groups from Hassu and Naurang villages in Haryana will be handed over to them shortly.

Appreciating the initiative by HMEL, the DC appealed to farmers to refrain from burning paddy stubble and take advantage of the various schemes available for in-situ management of crop residue through happy seeder, which also enhances the productivity of the soil.

AS Basu, head of the refinery, Krishan Tuteja, VP (Operations), HMEL, Harjinder Singh Jassal, District Development and Panchayat Officer, and sarpanches of these villages were present during the event.

The SHGs are supported by the district administration, which will act as a custodian to regulate the working of the groups. The group members will contribute to the cost of a new trolley unit out of their own pockets. The SHGs would charge the government-approved rates for giving 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. All the group members will be provided training in operations of happy seeder.

The women for the SHGs appreciated the support of HMEL for providing them with a sustainable source of income and helping in saving the environment.