Stubble burning: 25 FIRs registered in Mansa; farmers demand immediate cancellation

Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Mansa, October 23

The Mansa police have registered around 25 FIRs till date for burning paddy stubble, and violating the orders of the Deputy Magistrate in the district.

Farmers are fuming over this action, and have demanded immediate cancellation of the FIRs.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Mansa, Surender Lamba said: "They are taking strict action against the erring farmers, who are polluting the environment, by burning the stubble in the field, and so far, they have registered 25 FIRs pertaining to stubble burning in the district, and violating the district magistrate orders".

Most FIRs have been registered against unidentified farmers, and under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

Farmers said that they acknowledge the adverse effects of crops residue, but they have no alternative—even as the environmentalists demand a strict ban.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Ekta Ugrahan, state secretary, Shingara Singh Mann claimed, that this is 'double-standard' of the state government, since, on one hand, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh during meetings assure them, that no case would be registered against farmers, and even old cases, pertaining to stubble burning would be cancelled, instead, the police are registering cases against farmers, which is completely wrong, and intolerable.

He added, that the government has not made any arrangements to handle the situation and farmers cannot afford to manage the expenses of stubble, and a large number of farmers have not received compensation of Rs 2,500 per acre, which was announced by the state government last year for not burning the stubble.

BKU, Ekta Ugrahan, Mansa district, president Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha said: "The state government is doing wrong by registering cases against the farmers over the burning of stubble and like last year, they would fight with the government over this issue".

He also warned, that if police try to arrest the farmers in any of these cases, then they would 'gherao' the concerned police station. He demanded, that the cancellation of the cases, and further, that no such case to be registered.

Punjab government and state government have been asking farmers to not burn stubble as it not only adversely affects the soil fertility but also leads to several health ailments.

With 75% of the 19.7 million tonnes of paddy straw generated in Punjab every year, the problem has taken dangerous proportions, leading to loss of organic material for soil, degradation of air quality and high SPM level.

These incidents of stubble burning have been captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite in the satellite image by the PPCB.

These were based on the longitude and latitude measurements.

The PPCB takes the help of satellite imaging for the identification of sites where the stubble is set on fire.

After receiving the images of stubble burning through the remote sensing technique, a team is sent to the spot to ascertain the area of the land on which the stubble has been set on fire, after which it sends its report to the administration, on which action is taken.

Burning of stubble also leads to a rise in air pollution and precipitates numerous ailments associated with the respiratory tract.

The number of patients complaining of such ailments is on the rise in various hospitals in and around the city.

Stubble burning not only affects the soil fertility resulting in loss of essential nutrients but also poses a serious threat to human health, including diseases such as breathing problems, allergies and asthma attacks.

The crop residue burning also depletes the red blood cell (RBC) count and adversely affects the oxygen-carrying capacity in the body.

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