Expert advice: ‘Plough residue, don’t set it afire’

Kapurthala, June 13

The Punjab Government’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department organised a district-level farmers’ training camp and exhibition on Thursday. Agriculture experts gave a clarion call for efficacious management of paddy straw and crop residues so as to save environment and human health from different types of pollution.

Citing that it is high time to preserve natural resources, the experts said that everyone must work in tandem to make the environment clean, green and pollution free.

They said it is the need of the hour to ensure management of crop residue in the fields, thus making the soil health better.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (G) Shikha Bhagat inaugurated the camp to disseminate significant technical informational regarding kharif crops.

She emphasised that instead of putting the paddy straw on fire, it should be ploughed in the fields, not only to contain pollution but also to enrich the soil health. She said that farmers should take full advantage of the information provided in the camp, which should be executed in letter and spirit.

Joint Director of Agriculture Department Harpreet Kaur also briefed about the department’s schemes and key points with regard to kharif crops. She motivated farmers to adopt allied farming to supplement their income as well as saving ground water. She also appealed the farmers to start the sowing of paddy from June 15, as urged by the state government. She exhorted the farmers to curtail agriculture inputs, besides not setting the crop residues on fire.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Navneet Kaur Bal stressed to work for environment by preserving natural resources. Chief Agriculture Officer Balbir Chand welcomed the experts and farmers. He said farmers should sow paddy as per the directions of the state government by adhering only to the recommended varieties. He said that farmers should avoid water guzzling crops and proceed towards basmati, maize and pulses, etc.

Gulzar Singh Sanghera, director of the Regional Research Centre (PAU), Kapurthala, gave information about sugarcane farming while assistant professor Gagandeep Dhawan briefed about the usage of pesticides on the basis of soil tests. Agriculture Engineer Bindu Marwaha discussed about kharif crops and Sultanpur Lodhi Agriculture Development Officer Jaspal Singh apprised the farmers about Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. The officials of line departments were also present on the occasion.