KS Pannu, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board
Advance Act: PPCB makes super SMS must with Paddy harvesters
Patiala, December 30, 2017: The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has called for public opinion to make Super Straw Management System (SMS) mandatory with self-propelled combine paddy harvesters.
This system is perfect to manage the loose paddy straw coming out of harvester combine .This loose straw is a main culprit forcing the farmers to burn it in the open fields.
Being regulatory body to curb and control air pollution in the State, the Board considered the matter causing widespread air pollution, resulting in various kinds of environmental and health hazards.
The burning of paddy straw has already been banned by state government and the National Green Tribunal.
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana has recommended that Super SMS be attached to combine harvesters which cuts the paddy straw into small pieces and spreads the same. Therefore, farmers are not required to burn the paddy straw before sowing the next crop.
The PPCB Chairman, KS Pannu said that Super SMS shall contain the cause of air pollution arising from the burning of paddy straw to a large extent. In view the recommendations of the PAU, the Board issued advisory during the last harvesting seasons to owners of the combine harvesters to use this super SMS.
This practice was followed by large number of farmers in the State and the results are very encouraging. Bumper wheat crop is expected from the fields where this practice of in-situ management of paddy straw was followed using super SMS.
Pannu further said that a 30-day notice had already been issued under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 inviting objections and suggestions from the stake holders before making it mandatory that no combine harvester shall be allowed to harvest paddy in the State without Super Straw Management System. Any violation of the order shall attract penalty including imprisonment up to six years.