Now, an app to take care of stubble-burning complaints

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 15

People can now be informers too and make the government aware regarding stubble burning incidents around them.

The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC) has launched a mobile-based application “e-Prevent” for this purpose and it can be accessed on an Android phone. The application, however, is not available for i-phone users so far.

With the harvesting season on, stubble burning is a major issue being faced by the state these days, as it not only affecting the environment, but damaging people’s health, too. The government is taking measures to make farmers aware regarding the ill-effects of burning stubble and also keeping a check on stubble burning incidents through the remote sensing centre.

Taking a step ahead, the PRSC has launched a mobile application — e-Prevent — with the help of which people will be able to click a photo and report accurate information regarding stubble burning incidents.

Director PRSC Dr Brijendra Pateriya said: “After downloading the application, the user will be able to click the picture, after which the current location of the user will be fetched by the application and the picture will be submitted.”

The application also shows options such as selecting district, block and villages, which are optional. After the current location of the user is fetched, it will also tell about the latitude and longitude of the location, which will tell the exact location. The app has two language options — English and Punjabi. After the information is submitted, it will be directed to all concerned to take action.

Dr Anil Sood, head of Agro-Ecosystems and Crop Modelling Division from PRSC said this app was effective not only in reporting stubble burning cases, but accidents and other emergency situations as well.

“One just needs to click on the option, which reads — take photo from camera, enter the title of the image and press the submit button. It will fetch the location of the sender. It will give the accurate information at the exact time,” said Dr Sood.

Dr Pateriya said: “The PRSC is keeping a tab on stubble burning cases 24x7 through satellite and we submit the data collected for the day to the departments concerned including the patwari, Pollution Control Department, Deputy Commissioner at the end of the day. But through this app, information can be shared instantly.”