Punjab School Education Department intensifies campaign to make farmers aware about harmful effects of paddy straw burning

New Delhi: The Punjab School Education Department on Monday said that it has intensified its campaign to make the farmers aware about the harmful effects of paddy straw burning on the environment.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the education department said that the teachers and students of the government schools across the state have been instrumental in tackling the problem of pollution and sensitizing the people especially the farmers about its dangerous effects.

“This awareness campaign has launched in the larger interest of the public, and the campaign is going on effectively despite the closure of schools due to Covid-19,” said the spokesperson.

The education department said that posters are being made by teachers and students about the harmful effects of burning paddy straw on the environment and pollution.

“These posters are being pasted in various places as well as on social media. The special contribution is being made by the IT and science teachers. Social media is being used effectively during this ‘awareness campaign’. At the same time the teachers are going to the door to door to caution the people about the problem of pollution,” the department said.

As per the spokesperson, the campaign is yielding good results and peoples are being impressed by the posters of the education department, and farmers are listening to the teachers.

“Burning of crop residues is one of the main sources of air pollution. Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur from paddy straw are completely released into the atmosphere. This results in the emission of smoke and its incorporation into the gases in the air. This creates serious environmental pollution. Air pollution is one of the top ten causes of death. Air pollution is the cause of 25 per cent of deaths in India,” the spokesperson added.