Ban on harvesting combines sans straw mgmt system to curb stubble-burning

Tribune News Service

Moga, October 8

To effectively curb the menace of stubble-burning during the paddy harvesting season, District Magistrate of Moga Sandeep Hans, while exercising powers vested under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), has ordered a complete ban on paddy harvesting combines without functional super straw management system (SMS). He also ordered to impound the combine harvester machines found functioning without super SMS system.

As per the details, SMS is machinery attached with the combine harvesters, which cuts the standing paddy straw and spreads it uniformly in the field after which the farmers are not required to burn paddy straw before sowing the wheat crop.

The officer said the combine harvester machine owners had to follow the instructions issued under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981, to ensure that only SMS-installed machines operated during the paddy harvesting season.

He said teams had been formed at village levels that would keep vigil and promptly report if any farmer was indulged in stubble burning and would also ensure to check that every combine had SMS installed on it.

The District Magistrate also prohibited the harvesting of paddy using combines from 7 pm to 10 am.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Anita Darshi, ADC (Development) Subash Chandar, Sub-Divisional Magistrates Narinder Singh Dhaliwal (Moga and Dharamkot, Swaranjit Kaur (Baghapurana), Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Dr Balwinder Singh and other officials of the district administration were also present in the meeting chaired by the District Magistrate.