CM Assails Union government for dragging its feet from resolving the grave problem of paddy straw burning

Slamming the Union government for pulling its hand from ensuring viable solution for paddy straw burning, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that the state government is mulling to introduce more than one lakh machines for insitu management of the paddy straw from its own resources. “We had offered a joint resolution of this menace but instead of helping us the Centre government has dragged its feet from it. But it doesn’t mean that it will deter us from ensuring the well-being of our farmers and protection of environment” said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said that in Punjab paddy cultivation is done over 75 lakh acre of land. He said out of this the farmers having 37 lakh acres don’t burn the paddy straw. However, Bhagwant Mann said that some major steps needs to be taken for ensuring management of remaining 38 lakh acres. The Chief Minister said that the state government is mulling to introduce one lakh machines for this purpose. He said that these machines with capacity of managing crop residue of 8-10 acres daily will solve this vex problem.

Bhagwant Mann said that it is in consonance with the commitment of state government to make Punjab clean, green and pollution free. Quoting verse ‘Pawan Guru, Paani Pitaah, Mata Dharat Mahat’ from Gurbani, the Chief Minister said that the great Gurus have equated air (pawan) with teacher, water (paani) with father and land (dharat) with mother. Bhagwant Mann said that now the time has come when we must imbibe the teachings of Gurbani in our lives for restoring pristine glory of state by resolving not to burn crop residue. He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause.