Experts point to dangers of burning crop residue

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 10

Crop residue burning in North-West India is one of the major concerns for researchers, policy planners, farmers and civil society.

Many management options have been developed to address the issue. However, from a long-term sustainability perspective of agriculture and soil health, a new scheme of subsidising the machinery and equipment for crop residue management has been launched by the government.

Punjab Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) organises rice residue management training courses from time to time.

This time also, it organised a two-day training session on “Alternatives for Rice Residue Management” for the extension functionaries of State Department of Agriculture and Allied Sectors and ambassador/progressive farmers from yesterday, which concluded today. The training programme was attended by 48 participants.

Dr HS Dhaliwal, director, PAMETI, inaugurated the training session and informed the participants that crop residue burning caused serious threats to human, animal and soil health, environment, bio-diversity and traffic.

Dr Dhaliwal also requested the participants to spread the message of maintaining sanctity of soil, water and air, as propounded by Guru Nanak Dev. He appealed to the participants to contribute to the cause of no-burn agriculture, keeping in mind the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of the first Guru of the Sikhs.

Experts from PAMETI, Farm Power Machinery and Power Engineering, Department of Microbiology, Department of Zoology and Department of Veterinary Extension, GADVASU, discussed various options for managing the crop residue.

Dr Manpreet Singh practically explained the use of different types of machinery available for this purpose.

A panel discussion was organised by Lakhwinder Singh Brar, deputy director, marketing, PAMETI, to identify the reasons for burning of crop residues in the fields.

Narrow window between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat, costly CA machinery, scarcity of labour, high cost of residue removal from the field and use of combines (without SMS) in harvesting the crops were the main reasons quoted by the participants.

Manpreet Singh Grewal, a progressive farmer from Ludhiana, shared his personal experience with the participants. Dr Dhaliwal proposed a vote to thanks to the functionaries and farmers for attending the training session. He said it was an honour for PAMETI to train staff from agricultural and allied departments and progressive farmers for the cause of conserving the environment.