Punjab govt appeals farmers to shun stubble burning practice

The Punjab government on Sunday urged farmers to shun the unhealthy practice of stubble burning in line with upholding Guru Nanak Dev's ideology to protect natural resources.

Highlighting serious ill-effects of stubble burning, Agriculture Secretary K S Pannu said several useful microbial organisms perish in fire, besides polluting environment.

He said the resolution passed by the Punjab cabinet in its meeting last week unanimously appealed farmers to do away with the unhealthy practice of stubble burning in line with upholding Guru Nanak Dev's ideology to protect natural resources.

Pannu said nearly 28,000 residue management machines would be provided to farmers involving a subsidy component of Rs 274 crore during the current fiscal.

The state government had already provided over 28,000 such machines to farmers with a subsidy element of Rs 269 crore last year, he said.