10 farmers fined Rs 50,000 for stubble burning in Hisar

The district authorities imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on 10 farmers in Hisar district. They were burning paddy stubble in violation of the directions from the state government.

Dr Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DDA), informed that prohibitory orders have been issued in the district to prevent incidents of stubble burning. He said that the district administration has made an announcement that anyone found violating these orders would face strict action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and Section 19(4) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The DDA said that the farmers -- on being caught burning crop residue after harvest -- will be fined up to Rs 30,000 and FIRs would be registered against them. Besides, he said, their names would be marked with a “red entry” on the farmer portal. They will also be barred from selling their produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP) in government markets for the next two years.

Dr Singh stated that despite repeated awareness campaigns, satellite monitoring has detected 32 incidents of stubble burning in Hisar district so far. He said that action had been initiated against all identified cases and fines totalling Rs 50,000 has been imposed on 10 farmers. FIRs have also been lodged against them and their records have been marked with red entries, he said.

The DDA urged the farmers not to set fire to stubble, but instead adopt scientific residue management technologies to dispose of the paddy stubble and straw. He suggested that farmers could mix the stubble back into the soil to improve fertility using machines like rotavators, happy seeders or super seeders.

He said that there are also alternative methods like the supply of straw bales to biomass or energy production units. He informed that farmers who properly manage crop residue are being given an incentive of Rs 1,200 per acre by the Haryana Government.