Rajpura (Patiala), November 6: Chairman of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Rajesh Verma on Thursday said that after the Green Revolution, a “stubble revolution” is now taking shape in Punjab.
Verma, who reviewed stubble management measures in Patiala district, inspected the process of blending biomass pellets with coal at Nabha Power Limited’s Rajpura Thermal Power Plant. CAQM Member Secretary Tarun Kumar Pithode accompanied him during the visit.
CAQM Chairman Rajesh Verma reviews the blending of straw pellets with coal at Rajpura Thermal Power Plant
“I have seen that stubble has now become a source of income for farmers,” Verma said. “After the Green Revolution, farmers are moving towards a stubble revolution, and this year the trend of stubble burning has declined compared to previous years.”
Appreciating the state government’s initiatives, he recalled his visit to Punjab last November. “At that time, smoke was visible everywhere. But today, the sky is clear, and sunlight is visible even a day after Gurpurab celebrations,” he said.
Punjab’s Secretary of Science, Technology and Environment Department Priyank Bharti and Administrative Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Arshdeep Singh Thind informed Verma that the stubble management season lasts for about 40 days in the state, during which the machinery remains idle afterward.
“To maximize use, we first tried using these machines for wheat straw, but that experiment was not successful. Now, we are testing them for sugarcane residue, which can help reduce the cost of machinery and improve stubble management,” the officials told the Chairman.
Patiala Deputy Commissioner Dr. Preeti Yadav said that paddy harvesting in the district is almost complete and 60 percent of the next crop has been sown. “Due to farmers’ behavioral change and the administration’s awareness campaigns and machinery support, stubble burning incidents have dropped significantly. So far, 168 cases have been reported this year compared to 414 by this date last year,” she said.
Dr. Yadav added that farmers are being encouraged to adopt in-situ management techniques as they enhance soil fertility and crop productivity.
Nabha Power Limited officials, including Rajesh Kumar, Devdutt Sharma, and Gaganvir Cheema, briefed the CAQM delegation on the blending process of straw pellets with coal in the supercritical boiler at the plant.
Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairperson Reena Gupta, Member Secretary Dr. Loveneet Kumar, SSP Sarfaraz Alam, SP Vaibhav Chaudhary, SDM Avikesh Gupta, and officers of other departments were also present.
