Nitish expresses concern over stubble burning by Bihar farmers

"The trend of burning crop residue is now catching up in Bihar, which has to be stopped at any cost, otherwise there will be an appalling situation in Bihar... This would not only ruin farmers but would also adversely impact the environment," Kumar said, according to an official release.

Earlier, farmers of Rohtas and Kaimur used to burn their post-harvest residue (paddy stalks) but now the farmers of Patna and Nalanda are also burning their crop residue in their fields in large numbers, the CM said.

He asked officials to take the help of Jeevika Didis, women working in self-help groups under the state's Jeevika programme, in convincing farmers about the ill-effects of residue burning on the environment.

Giving directions to Jeevika Programme Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Balamurugan D, Kumar asked him to "take the help of Jeevika Didis, who are engaged in cultivation, to convince farmers the ill-effects of residue burning on environment."

In his interaction with Jeevika Didis, Kumar said that the system of burning crop residue in the fields should stop and also asked them to convince people residing in their neighbourhood about its ill-effects.

Kumar was speaking at a function organised at Sonbarsa village in East Champaran district. The CM was there to inspect the potato contract farming being carried out by Jeevika group members in the district.

Under potato contract farming, seeds have been sown in 13 acres for seed potato while sowing has been done in 26 acres for production of potato meant for chips, the release said while quoting Jeevika Didi.

The CM personally inspected the potato contract farming, it said.

Kumar asked Jeevika CEO to promote and expand the contract farming once the experiment here is finished.

Kumar asked the official to ensure that Jeevika Didis must get their minimum support price of their produce, the release said.