Malda Agriculture dept campaigns against crop residue burning

Malda: The district Agriculture department of Malda has launched a wide campaign against crop residue burning on the occasion of celebrating the ‘Anti-Crop Residue Burning Say’ on November 3 for the last 15 days.

Apart from campaigning on electronic media, leaflets distribution among farmers and showcasing of the environmental hazards due to this burning in Puja mandaps have also been done.

About two tableaus containing the legal information against crop residue burning and advantages of restrictions from residue burning with government facilities for this have been taking tours of the Sadar Sub-Division of Malda. One such Tableau is also functional in Chanchal Subdivision till Maha Dashami.

Dinanath Majumdar, deputy director of district Agriculture department, said: “The burning of crop residue is illegal. Not only it pollutes the environment but the soil also loses its fertility. The regaining of the same is also time taking. So we are making a wide campaign about all the aspects of this issue. There are also government subsidies on purchase of different agricultural machinery by the farmers if the residue is not burnt.”

Majumdar further added that the farmers can consult the department officials on how to use this residue to elevate fertility of the soil instead of burning it. The farmer can buy super seeder, happy seeder, straw baler and many more with a highest of 80 per cent subsidy under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

Again this residue is also useful as fuel, raw materials in paper, brick production and in biomass and ethanol plants.