Hry govt directs officers to run campaign on ills of stubble

Haryana Chief Secretary D S Dhesi today directed officers to run a special campaign to generate awareness among people against burning crop stubble, and dealing strictly with those found doing so.

A biomass policy is being framed and would be implemented soon, Dhesi said while presiding over a meeting with deputy commissioners and district officers of various departments.

The departments included Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Environment and Pollution Control Board, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Revenue, through video-conferencing, here.

He said special attention should be paid towards pollution control in view of the festive season in October.
 

With a view to celebrating Diwali and Dussehra in a pollution-free manner, the state pollution control board would run an awareness campaign at block level.

Dhesi said for the first time the assistance of sarpanches of gram panchayats would be sought to make people aware about the disadvantages of burning crop stubble, and they would be made answerable.

Burning of crop stubble in October-November period by many farmers in Haryana and Punjab has been causing environmental pollution.

"Sub Divisional Officers (SDOs), patwaris and Gram Sachivs would be made answerable in their respective areas. Strict action would be initiated against SDOs, Patwaris and Gram Sachivs who fail to report cases of burning crop stubble in their respective areas," Dhesi said.

The chief secretary directed the deputy commissioners to pay special attention to those villages which had been reporting incidents of burning crop stubble for the last three years, and send report of on them to the headquarters.

He directed the deputy commissioners of districts namely, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Jind and Karnal, to carry out timely review.

The Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department Abhilaksh Likhi said those districts which have large area under paddy, crop stubble would be kept safe to be used as fodder in 'Gaushalas'.

Apart from this, state's department of renewable energy is also launching biomass related scheme and possibilities would be explored on how crop stubble could be used in brick- kilns, he added.