Stubble-burning: AAP demands aid for farmers

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 16

Leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today demanded that paddy farmers be given monetary and technical assistance to shun the practice of stubble-burning. AAP leaders today submitted a memorandum of their demands to Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra.

“The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently issued fresh directions to control and shun the practice of stubble-burning in Punjab. It is sad to see that the state government has conveniently ignored its obligations as considered in the NGT’s judgment while officials are threatening farmers to impose penalty and register FIRs in some cases,” said Baljinder Kaur, MLA from Talwandi Sabo.

She said the judgment specifically directs the state governments to evolve a mechanism for the collection of crop residue, its transplantation and utilisation. The NGT had also directed the government to provide machines, mechanism and equipment or its cost to the farmers to ensure proper removal of the residue, the Talwandi Sabo MLA added.

As per the judgment of NGT, equipment like happy seeders has to be provided free of cost to small farmers having land less than two acres. For farmers possessing land more two acres but less than five acres, the cost of such machines will be Rs 5,000. For farmers having land more than five acres, the cost of such machines is to be Rs 15,000.

Maur MLA Jagdev Sing Kamalu said apart from providing the equipment, the government should also provide aid to farmers in transporting the residue to the designated sites.

“The government should also try to educate farmers by holding special programmes, circulating pamphlets and practical demonstrations. We demand that the minimum compensation of Rs 6,000 per acre must be given to the farmers for disposing of the crop residue,” he added.

MLA Bathinda (rural) Rupinder Kaur Ruby added that AAP was giving emphasis on protecting the environment by stopping stubble-burning but for that, the state government would have to pull up its socks and follow the directions and suggestions of the NGT.