Farm fires in Amritsar, Tarn Taran: Campaigns, curbs serve little purpose

AMRITSAR/Tarn Taran, OCT 27

Despite strict restrictions and awareness campaigns, paddy straw burning cases are being reported from border districts of Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

Farmers express helplessness in disposing of paddy residue in the absence of any economical alternative.

Baljit Singh, a farmer from Fatehgarh Churiyan, said most of the farmers were with small land holdings and they did not have surplus funds to engage a person or a tractor in bringing the free-of-cost machines from block offices and then spend money on diesel to cut the straw and make bales. Several machines required tractors with over 50 horse power which is costly and not all farmers can afford it.

Pointing towards the field where stubble burning was going on, he said the five-acre farm is owned by equal number of brothers. They had no money to bring machines, cut paddy straw and make bales.

Pargat Singh and Santokh Singh, farmers of Aladinpur village in Tarn Taran, said suggestions of the department and the government were not viable. Dilbagh Singh, a former sarpanch of Jati Umra village, said to follow the instructions of the Agriculture Department, a farmer has to shell out Rs 4,000 per acre to dispose of the stubble.