Punjab CM writes to PM seeking cost compensation to check stubble burning

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking cost compensation of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy to motivate farmers against the burning of paddy residue in the open fields, the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Expressing concern over the environmental hazards caused by stubble burning, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking cost compensation of Rs. 100 per quintal of paddy to motivate farmers against the burning of paddy residue in the open fields," read the statement.

The sum should be given to farmers so that they can arrange to manage the stubble without resorting to its open burning by using the compensation money to meet the paddy straw management cost, the statement said.

Singh also pointed out that harvesting of paddy crop had already started in the state, and was expected to pick up momentum over the next 10 days.

"The farmers of Punjab will face the challenge of managing nearly 20 million tonnes of paddy straw once again this season. On its part, the state government was doing all it could to check the problem of stubble burning," said the chief minister, adding that around 28000 machines had been supplied to the farmers last year on subsidy ranging from 50 per cent to 80 per cent.

Another 26000 machines would be supplied to them this year for in situ management of Paddy straw, the Chief Minister was quoted as saying in the letter.

"However, since the window available to farmers for sowing the next Rabi crop after harvesting of paddy was very small they end up resorting to stubble burning in order to quickly clear their fields to save the cost of managing paddy straw through machines supplied to them," said the Chief Minister.

He further said that the additional cost of using the machines was between Rs. 2500 and Rs. 3000 per acre, which the farmers could not afford," CMO said in its statement.

The statement from the CMO reminded that he had raised a similar demand for compensation to farmers with the Prime Minister in September last year too.