Awareness drive yields results, fires down in Malerkotla
Parvesh Sharma
Malerkotla, November 16
At a time when Chief Minister’s home district of Sangrur has become infamous for higher number of stubble burning cases, its adjoining district Malerkotla has been successful in bringing the number of farm fires from last year’s 647 to 369.
This when Malerkotla is a relatively new district (created before the 2022 Assembly polls) and its still battling for required resources.
Senior officers informed that teams of various departments have been visiting various villages of the district for the last two months to spread awareness against stubble burning.
DC lauds farmers’ response to drive
The response of farmers to the repeated visits of our officers has been good. Apart from visiting burnt fields, our teams are regularly inquiring farmers if they are getting the required machines like balers for the management of crop residue. —Pallavi, Malerkotla DC
Farmers here have purchased 1,412 machines for the management of paddy stubble. A total of 49 cooperative societies have also been offering required machinery to farmers for the management of crop residue.
“There is a good coordination between officers and the farmers of the district. The officers here are taking serious steps to convince farmers against stubble burning,” said Khushpreet Singh, a farmer from the district.
Till November 15 last year, a total of 647 farm fire incidents had been in reported in 153 villages of the district. This year’s corresponding figure stands at 369 cases.
After inspection at various places, authorities have issued challans to 10 farmers, while FIRs have also been registered against 17 farmers.
Thanking the district’s farmers for supporting the campaign, DC Pallavi assured them of all possible help.
“The response of farmers to the repeated visits of our officers has been good. Apart from visiting burnt fields, our teams are regularly inquiring farmers if they are getting the required machines like balers for the management of crop residue,” she said.
