Use stubble to enhance yield, don't burn it: Seechewal to farmers

Rajya Sabha member and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal has urged farmers to refrain from burning paddy stubble.

Addressing a gathering commemorating the 450th 'Guruship' of Shri Guru Ram Das and the 450th anniversary of Guru Amar Das's Jyoti Jot Divas at Nirmal Kutia Pandwan, Seechewal said the harvesting season had begun and stubble was accumulating in fields.

He asked the farmers to spread the stubble in the fields as it not only increased soil fertility but also reduced the need for chemical fertilisers, leading to higher crop yields.

He said machinery was now available for collecting and bundling stubble, and several companies in Punjab had started purchasing stubble, offering an opportunity to the farmers to earn additional income.

Seechewal stressed the importance of protecting the environment as the underground water levels had dropped significantly. With each passing year, the area under paddy was expanding, generating more and more stubble.

He said burning stubble severely affected air quality, making it difficult for children and the elderly to breathe, and posed health risks to those with respiratory conditions like asthma. Urging the farmers to adopt eco-friendly practices, he also appealed them to go for mass planting of trees in villages.

On the occasion, dera head Gurbachan Singh honoured Seechewal with a traditional robe as a token of respect.