LAHORE:Core paddy area should be surveyed for facilitating farmers with the provision of modern machinery for the disposal of crop residue as provincial government is promoting pollution-free agriculture and in this regard, awareness is being created among the farmers.
This was stated by Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi who was presiding over a meeting regarding the disposal of crop residues in Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.
The minister proposed to the Judicial Water and Environment Commission to impose fine on those people who set on fire paddy residue on the basis of land holding so that small farmers can get relief. In this meeting, Secretary Agriculture Ahmad Aziz Tarar and the representatives of the Judicial Water and Environment Commission established for control of smog, Ms Hina Hafeez Ullah Ishaq and Syed Kamal Ali Haider also participated. Briefing the minister on this occasion, Director General Agriculture Extension Dr Anjum Ali said that 2,269 cases of setting on fire paddy residue had been reported this year, while 3,224 cases were reported last year. This year there were incidents of paddy burning on 8,733 acres while last year it was 11,619. Under directions of Lahore High Court, 702 FIRs registered against people who were found setting on fire rice residues while last year it were 1,503. Agriculture department set up 18,000 village volunteer committees to create awareness among the farmers and announcements are also being made from mosques.
On this occasion, Director Agricultural Information, Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar, while giving a briefing, said that print, electronic and social media are also being used effectively for the awareness of the farmers. So far, agriculture department has also distributed more than 0.1 million copies of literature for the awareness of the farmers.
Director General Field Muhammad Akram while briefing said the department has so far provided 1,075 happy seeders to the farmers. Agriculture Secretary Punjab Ahmad Aziz Tarar said that the solution for eradication of paddy residues in fields was in use of mechanisation.
On the occasion, the minister proposed to the Judicial Water and Environment Commission to impose fine on those people who set on fire paddy residue on the basis of land holding so that small farmers can get relief. On this occasion, the representatives of the Judicial Commission said that they were also examining the amount of arsenic in water by visiting Kasur, Chichawatni and Sahiwal areas to ensure availability of clean water in these areas along with control of smog.
