A farmer burning paddy stubble in his field on the outskirts of Amritsar.  

In an attempt to check the dangerous trend of stubble burning, the Punjab government has decided to make use of Super Straw Management System while using the combine harvester machines mandatory for harvesting the paddy (rice) crop.

“These instructions are aimed at saving the environment from air pollution caused by stubble burning,” said Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman K.S. Pannu, adding that the owners of combine harvesters desirous of undertaking the harvesting of paddy in the State would now have to attach super straw management system with the harvester combine.

“We have also instructed that no harvester combine shall be allowed to harvest paddy in Punjab without functional super straw management system,” said Mr. Pannu. He added that the instructions have been issued under section 31 A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Mr. Pannu said that Punjab has been declared air pollution control area. “Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has also recommended that super straw management system be attached to self-propelled combine harvesters, which cuts the paddy straw into small pieces and spread the same. With this method, farmers are not required to burn paddy straw before sowing the next crop,” he said.

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