DNA reports that all the secretaries of 3,485 cooperative societies across the state would be put on the job of checking stubble burning in 8000 paddy growing villages of Punjab.
State nodal officer for anti-stubble burning campaign K S Pannu stated that apart from these, for every 20 villages, an officer such as block development and panchayat officer, block agriculture officer, circle revenue officer etc would be appointed as coordinating officer to oversee the activities on ground.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier directed the department to actively engage its machinery for on-ground activities at the village-level to effectively tackle the menace of stubble burning.
The nodal officers will undertake various activities, ranging from holding meetings with the farmers, arranging crop residue management (CRM) machines, distribution of pamphlets/leaflets etc in villages, besides making announcements in Gurdwaras or by other modes.
It is estimated that 15 million tonnes of paddy straw is burnt by farmers for early and easy clearance of the fields.