Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Kakching District Branch, in association with Grace Cottage Academy, Kakching, organised a ‘Cleanliness Drive and Stop Stubble Burning Campaign’ at Kakching Louyai/Lourel Road on Sunday.
The event aimed to raise awareness against stubble burning and to curb the practice. It was held as part of the ongoing activities of IRCS Kakching District Branch, Junior Red Cross and Youth Red Cross Kakching conducted on the last Sunday of every month for the overall welfare of the people.
Participating students and people chanted various slogans and displayed banners which read ‘Say No To Stubble Burning.’ Posters on the same were also put up at various areas in Kakching Louyai road as part of the campaign.
Later, a cleanliness drive was conducted in and around the Kakching irrigation canal.
Various waste materials including plastic and glass were cleaned from the area during the drive.
Earlier, the rice-straws were utilised as fodder for livestock including cattle and buffaloes, but that’s not the case now, as the rearing of cattle and buffaloes can hardly be seen nowadays.
Due to advancement in technology, machines have been used for harvesting paddy. While the same may be convenient and less time-consuming, the leftover rice-straws are scattered in disorder during the process, as such affecting the environment.
It may be stated that straw serves as a great manure for paddy to improve soil fertility and increase crop yields. On the other hand, stubble burning is a major source of air and environmental pollution.
Highlighting the awareness, participants of the campaign urged to curb stubble burning, and instead recycle hay straws to mitigate waste and environment pollution.
Many students of Grace Cottage Academy Kakching, IRCS Kakching District Branch chairman Mayanglambam Rajkumar; secretary Kshetrimayum Dharmadas; vice president Moirangthem Manihar, members, youth red cross volunteers, co-ordinator of Junior Red Cross and Youth Red Cross Kakching, Kshetrimayum Surjit; principal of Grace Cottage Academy Kakching, Kshetrimayum Daniel and many teachers participated in the campaign.
