Book on success stories of farmers, villages soon

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 22

The Agriculture Department will soon be releasing a book which will include success stories of farmers and villages that stopped burning paddy stubble last year.

Department officials said the book would motivate other farmers and they would also adopt such methods.

As per information, the book is in its last phase and would be released soon.

Recently, the department had also awarded 10 panchayats of the district which had worked to shun paddy stubble burning.

Complementing farmers for a good harvesting season, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma also asked them to refrain from burning the wheat straw as it creates a massive environmental problem.

He said the wheat straw was useful for the farmers and they should avoid the practice of burning it. Sharma also asked them to start the sowing of paddy after June 20.

Every now and then, even the district administration keeps on telling about hazardous effects of paddy stubble burning.

Officials of the district administration had earlier said since ages farmers had been using green fertilisers in the form of decomposed tree leaves and farm residue which were instrumental in enhancing the fertility of soil. However, after green revolution, the farmers opted for chemical fertilisers and gradually shunned the practice of using decomposed ones, which was proving detrimental for the soil health.

Sensitisation camp

The District Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department today organised a training and sensitisation camp for the farmers to encourage diversification among them.

Experts from the department, including Agriculture Officer Kuljit Singh Saini, Agricultural Technical Management Agency (ATMA) Project Director Vikram Sood and Manpreet Singh detailed the farmers regarding various crops, including moong and maize, in the camp. Peasants were explained about the sowing of these crops and good yield. The farmers must adopt these crops as these fetch high rates in the market. Diversification was a boon in today’s scenario as it could maximise their profits even from small land holdings, the experts said.

These crops also help to enhance soil fertility and are short-term.

The experts also explained them about specifications, including 12 per cent moisture content, for wheat procurement in grain markets and they were advised to take the wheat grain after proper drying to avoid any problem.

Further, the farmers were told to sow paddy seed after May 20 and according to the Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Act, it can be transplanted after June 20.

10 panchayats awarded recently 

Agriculture Department officials said book on success stories of farmers and villages that stopped burning paddy stubble would motivate other farmers and they would also adopt such methods. The book is in its last phase and would be released soon. Recently, the department had also awarded 10 panchayats of the district which had worked to shun paddy stubble burning.