Kanpur: To address stubble burning through eco-friendly technology, 100 battery-operated Vikalp E Brush Cutter machines were distributed to farmers at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dilip Nagar, operating under Chandrashekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, on Tuesday. The machines were provided to farmers from Rasoolabad and Rajpur development blocks under a scheme run by the directorate of extension aimed at promoting solar and electric-powered alternatives.Chief guest Dr V K Tripathi said that these machines would help farmers efficiently manage crop residue in their fields and reduce dependence on burning practices. Anant Chaturvedi from Vikalp Sanstha explained that the machine can be used for harvesting crops such as wheat, paddy, gram, urad, moong and mustard, as well as clearing wild grasses. He added that one labourer can harvest up to one acre in 8–10 hours using the equipment, saving approximately Rs2,000–2,500 per acre, while also proving useful for weed control during the off-season. The programme began with the welcome of the chief guest by centre in-charge Dr A K Singh. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Arun Kumar Singh, while the event was conducted by Dr Khalil Khan. Among those present were Dr Mahak Singh, Dr Vijay Kumar Yadav, along with scientists including Dr Rajesh Rai, Dr Vinod Prakash, Dr Bhupendra Kumar Singh and Dr Nimisha Awasthi, besides research fellows and over 100 farmers.
