category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh The Haryana Cabinet on Wednesday approved a paddy stubble management policy, aimed to harness the straw for sustainable energy and eliminate crop residue burning by 2027. The Haryana Ex-Situ Management of Paddy Straw Policy 2023 is aimed to harness paddy straw for sustainable energy and eliminate crop residue burning by 2027, said an official statement after a meeting of the cabinet, which was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. After the cabinet meeting, Khattar said that this policy marks a significant stride in promoting efficient paddy straw utilization while discouraging harmful residue burning. Aligned with the government s commitment to harness energy from paddy straw and reduce its environmental impact, this comprehensive policy establishes an end-to-end ecosystem for paddy straw use, he said. On the paddy straw generated annually, it has the potential to generate electricity, biogas, bio-CNG, bio-manure, biofuels, and ethanol. Ensuring a consistent and affordable paddy straw supply is essential for project sustainability, he said. Notably, during the current season too as paddy harvesting is at its peak in Haryana, many cases of farm fires have been reported from some districts. Recently, Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal issued a series of stringent directives to prevent stubble burning incidents. Kaushal had emphasized that there would be no leniency in dealing with farm fires, urging district authorities to impose fines and take decisive action against those responsible, including penalizing officers for laxity. (editor dailyworld.in)