Punjab expected to procure 132 lakh metric tons wheat: Chief Secretary
Punjab is expected to procure 132 lakh metric tons wheat, out of which 17.14 lakh metric tons have already been acquired, Chief Secretary Anurag Verma said on Sunday.
In a bid to curb the menace of stubble burning, the Punjab government has made it mandatory for combine harvesters in the state to attach super straw management system, which cuts the paddy straw into small pieces and spread the same, with the harvester combine.
Disclosing this, Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman, KS Pannu, said owners of combine harvesters desirous of undertaking the harvesting of paddy in the state should attach super straw management system with the harvester combine.
He said that it has also been instructed that no harvester combine will 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.
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He further stated that under various notifications, Punjab has been declared as air pollution control area. Pannu said the Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana has also recommended that super straw management system be attached to self-propelled combine harvesters,
With this method of harvesting, farmers are not required to burn the paddy straw, before sowing the next crop. Pannu also added that National Green Tribunal on December 10, 2015 has ordered to prohibit agricultural residue burning in NCR including Punjab.
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