“Govt Committed to Working for Welfare of Farmers”: Environment Minister at Workshop for Stubble Management

With a goal of significantly reducing paddy stubble burning incidences by 2023 and maximizing management/utilization of paddy stubble, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas, guided by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and in collaboration with the governments of Punjab and Haryana, held its workshop "Parali- Ek Punji" on February 20 in Chandigarh.

The workshop's Special Session was chaired by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, who was joined by the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, as well as the Agriculture Minister of Haryana and the Environment Minister of Punjab. According to an official statement, the interactive workshop focused on bringing together all strata of stakeholders, including governments, institutions, NGOs, social and religious groups, FPOs, entrepreneurs, and industry representatives, on a common platform to discuss strategies/ techniques for sustainable and efficient management and utilization of paddy stubble.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav praised the Commission, the State Governments of Haryana and Punjab, and all other stakeholders for their concerted and collaborative efforts to significantly reduce paddy farm fire counts by 2022, and urged all to work towards total elimination of the unsustainable agricultural practice.

Yadav also announced a financial assistance model for capital subsidies for the establishment of pelleting/briquetting plants for various ex-situ projects through the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). "The Government is committed to working for the welfare of the farmers and will continue to do so in the future," Bhupendra Yadav said during an open interactive session, inviting suggestions and input from the audience.

Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar said, "Burning paddy stubble won't create employment/ income, but its effective management can. Today's agricultural waste will be tomorrow's asset." "Farmers should be aware that the stubble that is generated in their fields is a source of wealth for them, not a liability," said Punjab's Chief Minister.

"Towards abatement of air pollution in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas as a result of sporadic and unsustainable large-scale paddy stubble burning incidents, while continuous efforts in this direction have begun to yield results, much remains to be desired to comprehensively address this issue, towards environmentally sustainable disposal of paddy straw and abatement of air pollution in the region," the statement added.

"The Commission has so far issued various directions and advisories, as well as executive orders, to various agencies concerned in the NCR, including State Governments, GNCTD, the State Government of Punjab, and various bodies of the Central and State Governments in the region, laying out responsibilities and concrete steps to abate pollution and improve air quality in the region," the statement said.

"Whether it is about vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, stubble burning, roadside dust generation, solid waste management, or the use of DG sets, the Commission is taking every issue seriously and has gone to great lengths to issue the necessary Directions and Advisories to address it effectively," it stated.