Intensifying his government’s efforts to combat stubble burning, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh on Thursday launched three mobile apps aimed at checking crop residue burning and creating awareness about its ill-effects.
The three Android apps are i-Khet Machine, e-PEHaL, and e-Prevent.
Underlining the need to strengthen coordination among the various concerned agencies and departments, the CM called for strict monitoring of the situation at all levels, while stressing the need to create awareness among farmers, and to motivate them, against stubble burning.
Noting that such burning causes irreversible damage to the texture of soil, natural environment and human health, Amarinder directed the Agriculture department to work in tandem with the Science, Technology and Environment department to intensify the campaign to educate farmers about the menace.
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The CM underscored the need for a holistic approach through synergistic efforts of all related departments, such as Agriculture, Revenue, Science, Technology & Environment, Food & Civil Supplies etc, to tackle the problem.
Amarinder also emphasised the need to motivate the farmers to make optimum use of subsidized agriculture equipment and machinery being provided to the cooperative societies and custom hiring centres for in situ paddy residue management, which was the only scientific solution to dispose of the crop residue.
The three android mobile applications launched by the Chief Minister have been developed by Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC). They are i-Khet Machine for facilitating farmers to have access to the agriculture machinery/equipment for in situ management of crop residue, e-PEHaL for monitoring tree plantation, and e-Prevent to have prompt and accurate information regarding incidents of crop residue burning.
These applications would provide relevant information at district, block and village levels, in English and Punjabi.