Ludhiana DC Varinder Kumar Sharma urges farmers to sell paddy straw instead of burning it

Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], October 15 : Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma on Thursday urged farmers to sell paddy straw to companies that generate electricity from it, instead of burning it.
While urging the farmers to not burn paddy straw, Sharma said that we all know that burning of paddy straw is not only very harmful to our environment, but also causes several diseases, and said that there are several ways for the management of paddy straw with the farmers.
The Deputy Commissioner visited one such plant named Shri Ganesh Edibles Pvt Ltd, situated on Amloh Road, and was accompanied by Sandeep Singh Garba, SDM, Khanna.
He informed that Shri Ganesh Edibles Pvt Ltd is collecting paddy straw from around 35000 acres of land in Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib districts to generate electricity from it. He further said that the farmers can easily earn a handsome income if they choose to sell the paddy straw instead of burning it, the official statement said.
Hans Raj Garg, Director, Shri Ganesh Edibles Pvt Ltd, also informed that they collect paddy straw from around 35000 acres of land, and stated that they pay around Rs 2500-3000 per acre to the farmers for collecting paddy straw.
He informed that a large number of farmers in various villages have been associated with them, from whom they collect paddy straw. He added that by selling the paddy straw, the farmers can not only earn but can also contribute to saving the environment.
He mentioned that with the help of paddy straw, their company generates around 6,000 units per day, that can be extended further.
The Deputy Commissioner also urged other corporate houses to come forward and set up such power plants in their premises. He said that if corporate houses set up such plants, it can help in finding a permanent solution to the problem of paddy straw burning.