Chandigarh: In a bid to curb the menace of stubble burning, The Punjab Government has issued set of instructions for the owners of combine harvesters of the state. These instructions are aimed at saving the environment from air pollution caused by stubble burning. Disclosing this KS Pannu, Chairman Punjab Pollution control Board said that the owners of combine harvesters desirous of undertaking the harvesting of paddy in the state shall attach super straw management system with the harvester combine. He said that it has also been instructed that no harvester combine shall be allowed to harvest paddy in the state of Punjab without functional super straw management system. Pannu said that the instructions have been issued under section 31 A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Pannu further stated that under various notifications, The Punjab State has been declared as air pollution control area. He said that The Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana has also recommended that super straw management system be attached to self propelled combine harvesters, which cuts the paddy straw into small pieces and spread the same. With this method of harvesting, farmers are not required to burn the paddy straw, before sowing the next crop.
Mr. Pannu also added that National Green Tribunal on December 10, 2015 has ordered to prohibit agricultural residue burning in NCR including Punjab.