Kaithal farmers begin to manage paddy stubble

Satish Seth 

The efforts of the Haryana Government to motivate farmers not to burn paddy stubble seem to have started bearing fruit. The Kaithal district administration has taken steps to create awareness among farmers against the practice and many of them have started to manage paddy stubble rather than burning it and polluting the environment. Many farmers have come forward to purchase implements and machinery to manage the paddy residue left in fields after harvesting while others have started taking the services of custom hiring centres set up by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. 

Mahavir Singh, Deputy Director Agriculture, Kaithal, says that nine balers are being used to make the bales of paddy stubble in the district and farmers have started managing their crop waste in a better way. He adds that in many areas of the district such as Haripura and Khurana Siwan farmers are using the machinery to prepare the bales of paddy stubble for sale to paper mills. 

In Haripura village, huge stocks of bales prepared with the machinery are kept in fields, to be transported to paper mills. Raisain, a resident of Karnal who works on the machinery, says that these bales weigh between 15 kg and 60 kg and are sent to Pehowa Paper Mill at the rate of Rs 140 per quintal. While those involved in the business do not make substantial financial gains, transporting such a large quantity to mills is a big problem. However, it is just a beginning and things may improve in the coming days and more farmers may show interest in managing the crop residue to check air pollution and maintain soil fertility. Another farmer says that it is a good beginning and a lesser number of farmers burnt the crop residue this season. There was less pollution during this season this year as compared to earlier years.    

Deputy Commissioner Dharamvir Singh says that officials of the agriculture, panchayats and revenue departments, including patwaris, have been directed to check stubble burning. There have been lesser incidents and by the next crop the scenario may get better due to a vigorous campaign launched by the administration to create awareness among farmers against stubble burning and its adverse effects on the environment.