Nitish expresses concern over stubble burning by Bihar farmers

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday expressed concern over the rising trend of Bihar farmers burning their crop residue.

"The trend of burning crop residue is now catching up in Bihar, which has to be stopped at any cost, otherwise there will be an appalling situation in Bihar... This would not only ruin farmers but would also adversely impact the environment," Kumar said, according to an official release.

Earlier, farmers of Rohtas and Kaimur used to burn their post-harvest residue (paddy stalks) but now the farmers of Patna and Nalanda are also burning their crop residue in their fields in large numbers, the CM said.

He asked officials to take the help of Jeevika Didis, women working in self-help groups under the state's Jeevika programme, in convincing farmers about the ill-effects of residue burning on the environment.

Giving directions to Jeevika Programme Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Balamurugan D, Kumar asked him to "take the help of Jeevika Didis, who are engaged in cultivation, to convince farmers the ill-effects of residue burning on environment."