Chandigarh, Oct 7 (IANS): Haryana Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan on Wednesday directed all Deputy Commissioners to achieve the goal of zero burning of stubble, besides ensuring the availability of residue management machinery to small and marginal farmers.

He said those panchayats coming in the red zone will be rewarded at the state level for performing well in crop residue management. The panchayat that gets the first, second and third position will be rewarded with Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively.

Presiding over a meeting with the Deputy Commissioners to prevent the burning of crop residues, Vardhan directed them to ensure adequate supply of crop residue management machinery in districts, and allocate 70 per cent machinery to custom hiring centres and the farmers.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to send the report of all these activities to the headquarters within three days.

Every sarpanch should hold a meeting of the gram sabha and should pass a resolution not to burn stubble, he added.

Additional Principal Secretary V. Umashankar said a system has been developed to monitor and control the incidence of residue burning under which a short message service will be sent twice a day to sarpanches, village secretaries, besides officials of the Agriculture and Revenue Departments if stubble is found burning within the range of 100 to 115 metres.