In a bid to prevent farmers from resorting to lighting rice straw on fire in their fields, the Directorate of Agriculture is promoting subsidised machinery such as straw management systems and Happy Seeders, which allow farmers to sow new crops without removing the residue of the previous harvest.
Officials said, ZAOs through farmer clubs and local self-help groups are educating farmers to refrain from burning crop residue.
"We are emphasising that the practice of setting fire in fields not only pollutes the air but also undermines soil fertility, threatening future yields," a senior official said.
Awareness campaigns are being rolled out across villages, he added.
With the Kharif sowing season around the corner, the threat of field fires is real and some incidents including two such fires in fields at Taleigao have already been reported.
Farmers, pressed for time and resources, set fire to paddy residue to clear land quickly. The practice is effective in the short term, but it also triggers serious environmental concerns and often vast areas are engulfed in thick smoke that adversely affect air quality.
A few recent incidents in North Goa, including in Taleigao, have highlighted the scale of the problem and also exposed the lapses in preventive measures by local authorities.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) officials have often warned that unchecked stubble burning could aggravate respiratory illnesses and contribute to long-term soil degradation.
Last year the apex environment protection authority in the State had proposed a policy decision in line with the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the issue but there is no clarity from the government related to a total ban and imposing penalties.
Sustainable solutions like creating markets for crop residue (straw) in the biofuel sector for instance are not feasible in Goa since holdings are small, agriculture department officials said.
They said, in the alternative, farmers are being encouraged to adopt organic farming practices that reduce reliance on burning.
