Lift stubble in five days or farmers will burn it, union cautions govt

As paddy harvesting picks up across the state, farmer unions have warned the state government against taking punitive action over stubble burning without providing adequate support for crop residue management.

BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) has demanded that the government lift paddy residue from fields within five days of issuing gate passes in grain markets. Failing this, the union said small farmers would be left with no choice but to burn stubble.

Union spokesman Tejveer Singh said, “The government has issued directions to register FIRs and impose environment compensation on farmers who burn paddy residue. It has also ordered that crops will not be procured at MSP and farmers will be denied other benefits. But it hasn’t been providing adequate incentive and machinery for crop residue management. The government should provide support and improve its infrastructure before issuing such directions.”

BKU (SBS) president Amarjeet Singh Mohri said the burden was heavier on small farmers. “Big farmers have machines and contacts, but small farmers cannot manage paddy residue. Farmers also don’t want to burn stubble, and nearly 70-80 per cent have started managing residue over the years, yet pollution continues. The government is offering Rs 1,200 per acre for residue management, while it should be at least Rs 5,000 per acre. Farmers have already suffered heavy losses due to Southern Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus and cannot bear more expenses and then wait months for meagre incentives,” he said.

He said, “The farmers need to prepare their fields for the next crop. Hence, we have asked the government to lift residue within five days of issuing gate pass, else farmers will be forced to burn it. And if any farmer is arrested or produce not procured at MSP, the unions will launch an agitation across the state.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA) Ambala Dr Jasvinder Saini said about 20 per cent harvesting had been completed so far, with no farm fire cases reported. “Farmers are being motivated not to burn the residue,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Ambala Ajay Singh Tomer also reviewed crop residue management with district officials. He said the government was offering Rs 1,200 per acre as incentive and providing machinery, while teams at district, block and village levels were monitoring to prevent stubble burning.