Chandigarh: The authorities in Punjab and Haryana have launched a crackdown on the errant farmers in the two states after the Supreme Court’s recent rap over the unabated instances of stubble burning, and registered police cases and slapped fines on them.
It may be recalled that the top court had on October 16 last rebuked Punjab and Haryana for what it termed as their "defiant attitude’’ against penal action against persons burning paddy residues (straw or stubble) and thus aggravating the air pollution especially in and around in and around the national capital.
Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP), Law and Order, Punjab, Arpit Shukla said that the joint teams of DCs/SSPs and SDMs/DSPs have been conducting joint tours at villages, which have been identified as stubble burning hotspots and holding public awareness meetings with various farmer unions.
Stating that the police teams had registered FIRs in 874 cases till Monday, he said that apart from registering cases, penalties worth Rs 10.55 lakh were imposed in 397 cases and red entries have also been made in revenue records of 394 farmers.
In Haryana, while 655 active fire spots had been recorded till October 21, as many as 24 agriculture officials had also been suspended for failing to prevent the instances of stubble burning. According to reports, at least 14 farmers have also been arrested for stubble burning – all from Kaithal district; also, officials said, fine of over Rs 1.57 lakh has also been collected from 63 farmers so far.
Among the suspended officials, the maximum four officials are from Kurukshetra, followed by three each from Kaithal, Karnal, Fatehabad and Ambala district while the two each officials have been suspended from Panipat, Jind, Hisar and Sonepat districts – all the paddy-growing areas.
Meanwhile, according to the satellite data till Monday, Kaithal led the tally with maximum 127 cases, followed by Kurukshetra, 91, Ambala, 74, Karnal, 68, Jind, 49, Sonepat and Fatehabad, 40 each, Faridabad, 31, Panipat, 28 and Palwal, 26 cases of paddy straw burning.
Notably, burning of the paddy straw has been a commonplace after every harvest season (beginning October 15) in Punjab, Haryana and a few other states leading to severe air pollution in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR).
Pertinently, the farmers opt to burn the paddy straw to clear off their fields as they find a very short period between paddy harvesting and sowing of the next crop - wheat. Another reason for the farmers to opt this practice is that unlike the straw management course, burning paddy straw does not cost them anything, hence the quick and cheapest way to get rid of it.
