Despite ban, burning of crop residue begins

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, May 9

Even as the district administration has warned the farmers of penal action for burning crop residue in wheat fields, the sporadic instances of violation has started coming to light. At present the farmers are resorting to controlled fires in late evening hours to avoid detection by the government agencies.

A visit to rural areas revealed farmers have started burning crop residue. “Farmers are currently burning the crop residue on those fields only which they require for planting paddy nursery or vegetables”, a farmer said. He said fields were immediately ploughed after burning and irrigated so that by next morning ashes cannot be seen.

District Agriculture Officer Harinderjit Singh said they were regularly making announcements in rural areas to motivate farmers to not to burn crop residue. “For direct seeding of rice the fields even do not require to be ploughed and farmers can sow paddy while the wheat stubble is still standing,” he said. He said burning reduced soil health besides creating pollution and it was a punishable offence.