Food and Drug Administration Commissioner and Mission Tandarust Punjab director Kahan Sing Pannu exhorted the farmers and people to not to burn stubble and burst crackers on Diwali as everyone have equal right of clean water and air.He was speaking during a seminar organized by two NGOs 'EcoSingh' and 'I AM AN NGO' in Bachat Bhawan. He invited everyone to join the hands with the government to save the environment.Addressing the seminar, Pannu said it is a matter of concern that Air Pollution claims more than 70 lakh persons in the world annually and India along with China and USA are leading countries which register the highest percentage of Air Pollution.Throwing light about statistics of Air Pollution in Punjab, he claimed stubble burning is one of primary reason in Punjab. He said that paddy crop covers more than 30 lakh hectares area in Punjab and around 2.5 crore tonne stubble is being set on fire by the farmers. Pannu also informed around 200 kg ash is being produced when a farmer burns one-tonne stubble beside many harmful and life-threatening gases.Mission Tandarust Punjab director further disclosed that Punjab government is setting up 400 biogas plants for which it has signed an MOU with Indian Oil Corporation Limited out of which 42 would start before the harvesting of paddy crops this year.
Besides this, the government has also been offering subsidy on agriculture implants to the farmers so that they can avoid the stubble burning, Pannu said that added that it has also developed an 'I-Kheti' mobile app through which farmers can easily avail the implant on subsidy.Further, he stated the due to concentrated efforts of Punjab government, the use of DAP has reduced to 12000-tonne only which was earlier 50000-tonne in Punjab.Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said that the district administration has already waged war against stubble burning and comparing to 2016, Ludhiana recorded 40-per cent decrease in stubble burning cases during paddy crop and a 55-per cent decrease in wheat season in 2017. In Ludhiana, 45 villages completely rejected stubble burning.In the seminar, Dr Aakashdeep Singh from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital highlighted about the dangerous effects of stubble burning and bursting crackers on the health. Dr Rajwant Singh from EcoSingh thanked the everyone for participating in the seminar. The stage was conducted by Ravneet Singh, project manager of EcoSingh.Former Union Minister and Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Balwant Singh Ramoowalia suddenly arrived in the meeting and honoured Kahan Singh Pannu for starting a drive against food adulteration in the state. He also appreciated the steps being taken by him under Mission Tandarust Punjab and working of SSP Patiala Mr Mandeep Singh Sidhu.