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Punjab new and renewable energy sources minister Aman Arora on Friday directed the officials to work out modalities for testing and encouraging the use of compressed biogas plants to contain stubble burning in the state and create extra income for farmers.
The minister was presiding over the maiden meeting of a 21-member task force constituted to discuss and create a mechanism for off-take of fermented organic manure (FOM) generated from compressed biogas (CBG) projects based on agro-residue at Punjab Bhawan here.
Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants are the answer to thwart the stubble burning problem in scientific ways as these plants generate clean and green energy from paddy straw and other agro-residue, while creating extra income source for the farmer community, Arora said.
These types of projects will be benefiting the farmers in multiple ways as these plants use crop residual as raw material and collect the paddy stubble from their fields without putting any financial burden on them, he added.
As many as 20 million tonne paddy straw was being produced every year, the minister said, adding that Punjab has a huge potential for CBG plants based on agro-residue.
Asia’s largest plant of total capacity of 33.23-ton CBG per day has been commissioned in Sangrur and as many as 42 additional CBG projects of total capacity of 492.58 tons per day have also been allocated by Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA). On commissioning, these projects are expected to produce at least 10 lakh tons of FOM annually.
Farmers will earn profit from stubble: Cheema
Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday said farmers would earn profit from stubble if they don’t burn it in the fields and the Punjab government has made arrangements well in advance to remove straw from fields for use in boilers, besides offering other incentives to them to check stubble burning.
Cheema was in Patiala to inaugurate kisan mela organised by the Punjab Agricultural University at Rauni Krishi Science Center. Cheema encouraged farmers to break the traditional crop cycle by opting modern farming models to increase their income.
Dhaliwal discusses blueprint to check stubble burning
Agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Friday discussed blueprint to check stubble burning with district agriculture officials in Chandigarh. He asked the officers to work at ground zero. He also directed the senior officers not to give leave to any officer or employee of the agriculture department till November 7. The minister ordered to establish a state level control room to keep a vigil on all the activities in the field regarding stubble burning awareness campaign and immediate reporting of cases of farm fires.
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