Punjab appoints 8K nodal officers, sets up dedicated call centre

In a series of measures to check the menace of stubble burning in the ongoing Kharif season, Punjab Government has appointed 8,000 nodal officers in the paddy-growing villages of the State, with 23,500 more machines being given to farmers for in-situ management of paddy straw.

At the same time, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has also appealed to the farmers not to burn the crop residue, as it could aggravate COVID-19 conditions apart from leading to pollution spread.

Seeking the support and cooperation of the farmers in preventing stubble burning amid the pandemic, the Chief Minister said that the experts had warned it could have serious implications for the vulnerable people, already suffering from lung and other diseases.