Yamunanagar district sets ‘zero FIR, zero fire’ target for stubble burning

The Yamunanagar district administration has set an ambitious target of ‘zero FIR, zero fire’ for crop residue management this year.

Officers would urge farmers across the district not to burn paddy stubble in order to achieve this goal. Committees have been formed at village level to monitor stubble burning closely.

Any farmer found burning stubble despite official appeals would face legal action, including FIR registration and fines.

Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta recently convened a meeting of district officials to discuss the problem. He emphasised after harvesting paddy, farmers must avoid burning stubble as it contributes significantly to air pollution, which poses serious risks to human health, property and life.

He said fires can lead to loss of life and damage to surrounding areas, while also causing fodder shortages. Instead, stubble can be used to produce straw for animal feed.

“An FIR will be registered immediately against those who burn stubble, and a fine of Rs 2,500 per acre will be imposed as per prescribed norms. Additionally, farmers who burn stubble will be barred from selling their crops at minimum support price (MSP) in grain markets for two seasons,” said Deputy Commissioner Gupta.

Village-level committees have been established to monitor compliance and the police have been instructed to patrol the fields using vehicle 112 and take swift action against violators. The Deputy Commissioner highlighted a government crop residue management scheme aimed at educating farmers about proper disposal methods.

“Under this scheme, farmers can manage stubble efficiently using agricultural equipment such as balers, super seeders, and zero-tillage machines. They can also generate income by selling the crop residue at reasonable rates in the market,” he said.