Crop residue management efforts reviewed in Kaithal

The Member Secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), Pradeep Dagar, chaired a review meeting with district officials on crop residue management at the mini-secretariat here on Wednesday. He commended the Kaithal district administration for its effective work in managing stubble burning this season and urged officers to maintain the same commitment and vigilance in the coming days.

Dagar stressed that while the district has made significant progress, incidents of stubble burning have been reported in recent days. “The district administration should continue to play an active role and motivate farmers not to burn crop residue. This is essential for environmental protection and to ensure compliance with the directives of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Preeti presented details of the action taken so far and the status of ongoing efforts.

Dagar emphasised that as paddy harvesting and wheat sowing are happening simultaneously, field-level staff, including village secretaries and patwaris, must be mobilised and instructed to visit villages and raise awareness among farmers.

He further stressed that open burning of any kind whether stubble, garbage or other waste is strictly prohibited as it contributes to air pollution. “Municipal sanitation staff must ensure that waste is not burnt in open areas. Enforcement, awareness of government schemes related to stubble management must be increased so that farmers can avail the benefits,” he said.

The Member Secretary also directed officials to take strict legal action wherever incidents of stubble burning are reported.

The DC informed that due to the joint efforts of the district administration and farmers, incidents of stubble burning have declined significantly compared to previous years. “Out of 51 reported cases of agricultural fires, only 10 were confirmed as stubble burning after verification and necessary action has been taken in all of them,” she said.