Deputy Commissioner Barnala Mrs Punamdeep Kaur today conducted a meeting with the representatives of brick kiln association of district Barnala asking them to ensure compliance of Punjab government orders of replacing 20 percent coal with the paddy pellets from May 1, 2023.
Addressing the meeting, she said that in order to arrest paddy stubble burning in district, the Punjab government has made it mandatory for the brick kolns to replace at least 20% coal with paddy-straw pellets for fuel requirements in the kiln.
She asked the brick kiln owners to ensure that the usage of pellets is made so that the paddy stubble produced can be saved from being put on fire and instead be used as fuel. She added that already government was making in-situ and ex-situ arrangements for paddy management, but the usage of paddy pellets will propel this project as agriculture waste can earn good benefits for farmers.
Deputy Commissioner said that already a paddy pellet making unit has been set up at Patran. If any farmer or businessman is willing to set up similar unit in district Barnala, the district administration can set facilitate visit to the Patran unit. She directed the agriculture department and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to do hand holding of people / groups in district who are keen to set up paddy pellet making units.
She said that for setting up an industrial unit of non-torrefied/torrefied pellets, financial help of Rs 28 lakhs and Rs 140 lakhs would be provided for the plants of capacity of 1 TPH and 5 TPH respectively. Under this, a total of 40 per cent of cost of plant and machinery will have to be borne by the applicant.
The applicant can also avail financial grant for the said plant from other schemes. More financial incentives will be provided by the Punjab government for new small and medium industrial units (MSMEs).
She asked the brick kiln representatives to ensure the usage and that in near future district administration will start checking the brick kilns. Those who do not follow the norm of replacing 20 percent coal with paddy pellets, will have to face action as per the law and directions of government.
ADC (G) Satwant Singh, ADC (D) Dr Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, SDM Barnala Gopal Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer Jagdish Singh, PPCB SDO Vipan Kumar, AFSO Pardeep Kumar, Amit Singla Jolly and Vivek Goyal Kinni who are president and secretary of brick kiln association and others were present.