Discourage stubble burning without resorting to punishment: Bihar CM Nitish tells officials

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday expressed grave concern over practice of burning stubble gaining currency among farmers of state and asked top officials to assess situation through aerial surveys and take deterrent measures without taking recourse to punitive action.

dressing a function here, Kumar stressed need for proper communication with farmers, listening to ir problems, and apprising m of harms of stubble farming and government's incentives for alternative use of cut stalks.

chief minister said, farmers must be told that government was providing a subsidy of 75 per cent, which went up to 80 per cent for those belonging to SCs and STs, towards purchase of implements like rotory mulcher, straw reaper, straw baler and reaper cum binder.

He said, use of se would help farmers do away with stubble burning, which caused air pollution and soil erosion while enhancing ir agricultural income since what is generally considered farm waste could be recycled and put to use for manufacturing many items.

Kumar, who recently won his fourth consecutive term in power, recalled with dismay rampant stubble burning he came to witness while he was touring state as part of election campaign.

"I have asked chief secretary to take officials concerned along and conduct a survey by helicopter to identify places where practice has taken roots. Please try to persue misguided farmers. I am t talking about any punitive action", chief minister emphasized.

He was dressing a function where "jalvaay ke anurup krishi" (climate-smart agriculture) was launched for entire state.

One of 11 components of his government's anti-climate change "Jal Jeevan Hariyali" campaign, which has been lauded by internationally rewned figures like Bill Gates, climate-smart agriculture was initially launched in eight districts of state last year as a pilot project.

On Monday, second phase of climate-smart agriculture was launched in se districts while for remaining 30, it was commencement of first phase.

chief minister remarked with delight that Bihar's attempt to do its bit in combating climate change has been talked about in United Nations and exhorted officials to work with spirit of setting an example before world.

function was dressed, among ors, by Deputy Chief ministers Tar Kishore Pras and Renu Devi, and ministers for water resources and agriculture Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Amarendra Pratap Singh respectively.

(IM CREDITS:PTI)