Strict restrictions have been issued in the district. Under the guidelines of the Punjab government, the district administration is making efforts to reduce stubble burning incidents to zero. The administration has begun working on the ground in this area. Camps are being set up in villages to educate people about the harmful effects of stubble burning on the environment and the legal action that can be taken against stubble burning.
In a meeting with the SDM and senior officials, Deputy Commissioner Varjit Walia issued instructions regarding the state government’s target of zero paddy stubble burning and directed all magistrates in the district to conduct farmer-wise mapping of the machines provided on subsidy by the Agriculture Department and release a cluster-wise list of baler machines. He directed the Pollution Control Board officials to coordinate with industrial units producing paddy straw (stubble aggregators) and provide information on stubble burning sites immediately so that appropriate action could be taken against those burning the stubble.
He directed the officials present at the meeting to form 10 district-level teams to visit villages and motivate farmers not to burn the stubble. He stated that nodal officers would ensure that combine harvesters and Super SMS machines operate only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Present on the occasion were Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Chanderjoti Singh (IAS), APS Somal, Assistant Commissioner, Rupnagar Amrik Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sri Chamkaur Sahib, Sanjeev Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Rupnagar, Sukhpal Singh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Morinda, and officials from other departments.
