Govt may bar paddy sowing on leased panchayat land

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 16

Principal Secretary (Planning) Jaspal Singh today said a plan might be formulated to disallow sowing paddy on the panchayat land being offered on lease in villages. The DDPOs have been asked to make farmers aware so that the trend of burning straw could be curbed, he said.

“It is the responsibility of one and all to inherit a healthy and clean environment to the coming generations,” he said.

The official was here today to review the steps being taken to curb the trend of setting fire to paddy residue. Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia and Additional Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh Sudan were also present on the occasion. Jaspal Singh said, “We all need to jointly deal with this critical situation. To provide our future generations a healthy life, it is important to give up the practice of straw-burning.

The Principal Secretary said he had directed the appointment of nodal and coordinating officers to check straw burning, regular visits to fields and strict surveillance over the areas where the practice was rampant.

He said combine harvesters without super SMS straw reaper should be seized immediately. Kalia said 61 farm machinery banks had been set up in the district. In these banks, 209 machines were provided at 80 per cent subsidy. In addition, individually 30 machines have been provided at 50 per cent subsidy. Village-wise 595 nodal officers have been appointed.