Punjab has registered 45 percent drop in stubble burning cases during 2017 paddy harvesting season as compared to 2016 figures.
The figures were shared during the high-level meeting on Friday under the chairmanship of the Union Environment Secretary CK Mishra.
During the meeting, senior officers of Punjab’s Agriculture and Environment departments said that there were 80,879 cases of stubble burning during 2016 paddy season, and 43,814 cases have been reported in 2017 season, which are 45 percent less than 2016.
They also said that there were 15,378 cases of stubble burning during 2017 wheat harvesting season. The 2018 season was even better, when 11,095 cases of stubble burning came into light, which is 28 percent less than the 2017 figure.
“This change has happened due to the State Government's efforts to sensitize people against pollution with seminars and meetings with farmers,” they said while applauding the farmers for joining the State Government's endeavour to curb the menace.
The state authorities apprised that there was a legal mechanism in place against residue burning but the State Government is sensitizing farmers against stubble burning.
They also informed that besides providing subsidiary machinery to the Farmer Groups and Agriculture Cooperative Societies, the State Government was also setting up dust collector machines in grain markets.
Union Secretary watched the presentations on environment safety measures took by the Punjab and Haryana and also reviewed other activities done by both the states to save the earth.
Mishra also gave some suggestions to achieve the pollution-free and green country goal.
He exhorted that social media and NGOs can prove helpful to sensitize common people especially farmers against the hazard of pollution.