Harvest paddy only with super SMS, violators to face fines up to Rs 1L: ADC

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rakesh Kumar on Friday directed all combine owners to harvest paddy only with super straw management system (super SMS) for managing paddy stubble through the in-situ (incorporating paddy stubble in soil) method.

He said only harvesters with BIS certification should be used and no combine should be operated without super SMS. Presiding over a meeting, Kumar directed Agriculture Department officials to create awareness among combine owners about benefits of using super SMS. If any combine was found operating without super SMS, it would be seized and appropriate action would be taken. Besides, harvesting with combines had been banned from 6 pm to 10 am.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner said the main objective of the meeting was to eradicate the menace of stubble burning in the district and in accordance with directives of the Air Quality Management Commission, New Delhi, ensure proper management of paddy stubble by implementing super SMS on all combine harvesters.

The ADC said as per the orders of the PPCB dated September 25, 2020, combine operators who fail to comply with the directives would be imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 50,000 for the first violation, Rs 75,000 for the second and Rs 1,00,000 for the third and subsequent violations. Joint teams of the PPCB, Agriculture Department and police officials would be deployed in fields to enforce the decision and strict legal action, including the seizure of the machinery, would be taken against violators in addition to the environmental compensation.

In the meeting, all operators pledged to comply with the administration’s directives and promised to support its efforts to prevent stubble burning and reduce environmental damage during the paddy harvesting season. — TNS