Haryana Government teams mobilise across villages to curb stubble burning

Teams from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare are touring villages across the district to discourage stubble burning and promote environmentally friendly residue management practices.

Officials are informing farmers that they can earn additional income by managing crop residue instead of burning it, with the Haryana Government offering an incentive of Rs 1,200 per acre for proper stubble management. On Tuesday, departmental teams visited several villages — including Desu Malkana, Kelnia, Jodhkan, Malekan, Mojukhera, Fatehpuria, Darewala and Ganga — to raise awareness and encourage farmer participation in residue management initiatives. Deputy Director of Agriculture, Dr Sukhdev Singh, noted a growing number of farmers are adopting sustainable stubble management practices with support from the government. To further aid this transition, the department is offering subsidies on equipment such as Super Seeders and Balers, which make managing crop residue more convenient and efficient.

Officials highlighted the harmful effects of stubble burning, including increased air pollution, diminished soil fertility, and serious health hazards. They also stressed that burning crop residue destroys beneficial bacteria and insects in the soil, leading to long-term degradation of soil quality.