Italian machines brought in to cut straw

Sukhmeet Bhasin

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 30

Paddy stubble in 15,000 acres has been cut and lifted using hi-tech machines imported from Italy in the district.

It has been done by a private company, Neway Renewal Energy Bathinda Pvt Ltd, which is setting up a biomass plant at Mehma Sarja village.

This plant will convert paddy and wheat residue to carbon enriched fuel. At Mehma Sarja village, nobody has burnt paddy stubble this season.

The company has started its phase-1 work, under which it is cutting, collecting and transporting paddy straw from fields for free at Mehma Sarja, Sivian, Deon and other nearby villages in the district. The work has been delayed due to shipment of the machinery from Italy.

Neway Renewal Energy has signed an agreement with M/s Reha International for paddy straw collection work.

The company is doing this work using hi-tech imported machines for chopping, raking and making bales.

It is also learnt that the company is all set to start the plant work in December as a demo plant has already successfully tested in China and the actual plant would be imported soon. The ground work at the site is already on.

These imported machines have attracted the farmers as people are coming to see the work in the villages.

Gurbax Singh, sarpanch of Mehma Sarja village, said, “Villagers are fully cooperating with the company as it is an honour that our village is the first in the state where collection of stubble is going on by using imported machines.”

He also stated that farmers don’t want to burn paddy stubble, but they don’t have any other option. Now, this company is collecting stubble, so no villager had burnt the stubble this season, he added.

He said it was a great trend and he feels that this year the company is cutting and lifting the stubble for free, whereas in the coming years, they would pay to the farmers for getting stubble.

Neway Renewal Energy CEO Mustaq said, “In order to help solve the perennial paddy straw burning issue in Punjab, we have started cutting and lifting the paddy straw for free in the district. By next year, we would cover entire southern Malwa region”.

He also appreciated the farmers for not burning their paddy stubble and cooperating with them for cutting and lifting the straw with machines.

M/s Reha International managing partner Hari Om said, “We have cut paddy straw in 15,000 acres so far in the district and we have set a target of 50,000 acres this year.”