Bathinda, Oct. 1 -- Ahead of the paddy harvesting season, the Bathinda district authorities have chalked out a plan to manage the almost entire paddy biomass stock of 8.5 lakh tonnes to be produced this year.

Deputy commissioner Rajesh Dhiman said on Wednesday that 10 pellet-making units functional in the district have a capacity to convert more than 4.5 lakh tonnes into pellets to be used in coal-based thermal plants.

He said the administration is hopeful of bringing paddy stubble burning incidents to an all-time low compared to last year, when 359 farm fires were recorded in the district.

"Up to the kharif harvest season of 2024, the average number of farm fire cases was more than 5,000. Biomass management efforts proved fruitful, as...