Don’t burn paddy straw, PAU urges farmers

Director of Extension Education of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Dr M S Gill has urged the state farmers not to indulge in paddy straw burning "as it leads to serious health hazards and environmental pollution through emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide and aerosols".

Cautioning the farmers against the ill-effects of stubble burning, he said the burning of the residue ended up in the non-renewable loss of precious nutrients. The heat generated by the straw burning led to loss of useful microbes in soil, adversely affecting soil properties.

Dr Gill called upon the farmers to adopt eco-friendly technologies like the use of paddy straw for fodder, composting, energy generation and raising of mushrooms.

As per him, PAU has recommended a lighter and low-power Happy Seeder machine which helps sowing of wheat into paddy stubbles. The technology offers a number of benefits such as less weed growth and improved soil health.

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