Motivated by Agri Dept, State Awardee farmer Gurpreet Singh manages crop residue in-situ for 6 Years
Fazilka, October 14, 2026: While the Punjab Government is intensifying its campaign to discourage crop residue burning and promote its management within fields, progressive farmer and State Awardee Gurpreet Singh of Patti Sadiq village in Abohar subdivision has emerged as an inspiration for other farmers by managing paddy and wheat residue in-situ for the past six years.
An MA, B.Ed and State Awardee farmer, Gurpreet Singh, son of Ajaib Singh Sandhu, has been managing crop residue on his five-acre farm without burning it. He uses modern agricultural machinery, including an SMS combine, RМB plough, disc harrow, mulcher, Happy Seeder and Super Seeder, to incorporate crop residue into the soil.
Gurpreet Singh said that this year, he harvested his paddy crop with an SMS-equipped combine. After harvesting, the remaining straw was incorporated into the soil using a tiller, followed by the use of a mulcher to mix it properly into the field. He said this practice helps improve soil fertility and reduces the requirement for chemical fertilisers.
He said he was motivated to stop crop residue burning after coming in contact with the Agriculture Department and through the guidance of Dr Arvind Alahwat, Head, KVK Fazilka; Dr Anil Sagwan, Head, Regional Research Centre, Seed Farm Abohar; and Dr Jagdish Arora, Seed Farm Abohar. He also became aware of the harmful effects of burning crop residue on the environment and soil.
Gurpreet Singh said burning paddy straw not only causes air pollution but also adversely affects soil fertility. Since adopting in-situ residue management, he said, his crop yields have improved, while the use of fertilisers and overall cultivation expenses have declined.
Appealing to other farmers in the district, Gurpreet Singh urged them to refrain from burning crop residue and instead incorporate it into the soil. He said he felt proud to contribute towards protecting the environment and preserving soil health by managing crop residue responsibly.