Punjab Government announces do’s and don’ts for farmers and combine operators

Punjab Government announces do’s and don’ts for farmers and combine operators

Issued advisory for safe farming practices during harvesting

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, April 23:
Further scaling up the efforts to contain Corona Virus, the Punjab Government today issued advisory for farmers and combine operators for safe farming practices in wake of the pandemic.
Disclosing this here today, a Spokesperson of Punjab Government said that though the corona virus survives on environmental surfaces for a varied period of time, it gets easily inactivated by chemical disinfectants. He said correct and timely information and sensitisation about the preventive measures is the key to control the pandemic. Reiterating state government’s firm commitment for safety of farmers, he added that the Government issued advisory for farmers and combine operators to know them do and don’ts in this period of crisis. The advisory states that farmers should prefer mechanized practices over the manual exercises as the possible extent. Only the limited numbers of persons should be allowed to accompany the harvesters. All harvesters should be sanitized at the entry point of the field and in regular intervals during the harvesting.
“All the persons engaged in the operations should use cloth masks at all the times and ensure hand washing with soap at regular intervals. The masks shall be worn in a manner that it tightly covers the nose as well as the mouth apart from this the mask should be properly washed with soap/detergent immediately after usage”, Spokesperson added.
The advisory further stated that farmers should always maintain and ensured that social distancing of atleast one metre is maintained by all the engaged labourers at the time of rest, taking meals, transfer of produce at collection points and loading/unloading etc. In case of manual field operations of harvesting/picking, the farmer should accomplish the operation in 4-5 feet spaced strips assigning one strip to one person so as to ensure an adequate spacing between the engaged labours shall be maintained.
Spokesperson said that government also advised to farmers that stagger the field operations wherever possible and avoid engaging more number of persons on the same day and also engage only familiar persons to the limited extent as possible after logically enquired about their details of journey and places to avoid the any transmission of COVID-19 virus.
“The collection of the produce should be undertaken in small heaps spaced at 3-4 feet between them and field level cleaning/processing should only be assigned to 1-2 persons to avoid crowding. All transport vehicles, gunny bags or other packaging material should also be sanitized at various ends.” he added.
He said that all persons engaged in operations should wash their hands with soap for at least 40 seconds by applying the soap gently on the palm and back of the hand including web spaces between the fingers immediately before the start and after end of operations. The advisory recommended that the practice of hand wash will be adhered to after every two hours during the operations. In case a Sanitizer is being used, use a minimum of 3ml of the sanitizer on dry hands for at least 30 seconds for good hygienic hand disinfection. Sanitize or wash the hands with soap and water even if the hands appear to be apparently clean. Do not indulge in gossip/rumours with regard to COVID-19 without verifying the facts, while carrying the operations.
The state govt also recommended that farmers, combine operators and labourers involved in harvesting should immediately sanitize their hands after transacting cash and advised them to use online transactions methods wherever possible.
The spokesperson further said that Punjab Government has advised combine operators to maintained appropriate social distancing and transporter shall be advised not to indulge in any kind of handshakes or hugs to greet/see-off each other. The operators should avoid eating inside the vehicle and should always keep an alcohol-based sanitizer inside the vehicle and frequently use the same as prescribed during the journey also.
The operator while mounting/dismounting the vehicle should use disposable gloves and should immediately wash the hands after the completion of the mounting/dismounting exercise. The operator should ensure a minimum distance of 1 metre amongst himself and his workers, if any, while driving the goods vehicle. The operator should avoid the unnecessary halts and contacts during the journey. Special preference should be given to indoor areas including the inside of the combine, seats, gears etc. and these areas should be cleaned every evening and early in the morning before starting harvesting. Prior to cleaning, the workers should wear disposable rubber boots, gloves (heavy duty), and a cloth mask.
The combine should be cleaned from outside on daily basis with soap/detergent and water or Sodium Hypochlorite (1%) before entering the same. High contact surfaces such as door handles, steering wheel, window knobs, gears, and other buttons should be cleaned twice daily by mopping with a linen/absorbable cloth soaked in 1% sodiam hypochlorite. The Combines entering the State from other States shall be compulsorily cleaned/ sanitized at the entry barriers as per the procedure prescribed.
The state government also advised them to download “COVA APP” for correct, timely and authentic information. In case someone is diagnosed as COVID-19 with whom one had a contact during operations or otherwise, there is no need to panic. One should report to the Helpline No. 104/State Control Room No. 01722920074 / 08872090029, detailing the exact nature of exposure, he said.