Jalandhar's Bir village leads from front, sets an example in managing stubble

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, November 13

Though the menace of stubble burning has worried the state government, villages like Bir in Jalandhar are setting an example on how to manage paddy residue using sustainable methods, providing remittances to farmers for the same and simultaneously generating electricity.

The Green Planet Energy Pvt Ltd, which was set up in 2013, is buying paddy straw from farmers in the region at Rs 135 per quintal.

Kewal Singh, who manages the plant, said, “Farmers from Shahkot, Malsian, Nakodar, Sultanpur Lodhi, Numahal, Parjian, Talwan, Kot Badal Khan and Bir villages, provide paddy straw to us. Around 50 baler machines are put to use by farmers to generate bales. Farmers get a 40 per cent subsidy for these machines. This season 50,000 tonne of paddy straw has already arrived here. The plant has a capacity to process 75,000 tonne paddy straw. Around five years ago, there was a lot of pollution, much more than the current level. Putting the paddy straw to use as fuel for generating electricity works wonders for the environment.”

A single baler machine binds 2,500 tonne of paddy straw and a single acre provides 3 tonne of stubble to be bound into balers, Singh added.

Plant head Jagdish Singh Saini said, “This is a kind of social service as straw used by us doesn’t pollute the environment. It is a 6-megawatt plant which uses 240 tonne of paddy straw in an hour. The paddy season is expected to continue till the first week of December. The electricity generated goes to the Mehatpur power station.”

#Environment #farm fires #Pollution #stubble burning