CHANDIGARH: Punjab has seen a 12 per cent drop in stubble burning as compared to last year as more and more farmers are opting for mechanised technology to dispose of crop residue which in turn has seen a drop in air pollution levels in the state.
Now as a pilot project a Bio-Methanation plant is being set-up near Chandigarh by Mahindra Waste to Energy Solutions Limited which will process 10,000 tonnes of paddy and wheat straw per year and to start it will support around 1,000 farmers.
This initiative of setting-up the plant near Dera Bassi at cost of Rs 17 crore is expected to generate direct employment for around 75 people. “We will initially support 1,000 farmers, as the company will pay Rs 2,000 per acre to the farmer for the paddy straw,’’ said an official.
The company official added that the company has developed its own indigenous technology to convert multi-feed organic waste into biogas and organic fertiliser which will be sold to the industry and public as Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and can be used as an In another initiative Punjab Agriculture Department will provide more than 28,000 agro-machines to farmers with subsidy before September 15 under first phase for in-situ management of paddy residue.