Adopt zero tolerance towards farm fires: Jalandhar DC

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 8

Calling for strict enforcement to ensure that now there are no farm fire cases in Jalandhar, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal today directed administration officials to adopt zero tolerance towards stubble burning and carry out joint patrolling along with cops in hotspots. Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, SSP Jalandhar (Rural), ordered all Station House Officers (SHOs) to step out of the police stations and keep a tight round-the-clock vigil on fields.

Meanwhile, rural police teams also began visits and special monitoring drives to check stubble burning in villages. They also started a social media campaign posting messages on the social media handles of the police asking citizens and farmers to abstain from burning stubble.

Following the directions of the apex court to stop stubble burning forthwith, the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP held a joint meeting with all SDMs, DSPs and SHOs in the District Administrative Complex.

The Deputy Commissioner said: “Eighty-five per cent of the paddy harvesting was already over in the district. We all need to give major focus on the areas where farmers are yet to harvest their crops”.

He said cluster officers were already moving in such villages. The presence of cops along with them would send a strong message. Joint patrolling by civil and police officials would effectively deter the people from burning the residue. He asked them to take all measures, including preventive action, against the violators.

Sarangal asked them to hold meetings with sarpanches, also conduct foot marches in the areas where harvesting was yet to be carried out and make public announcements through gurdwaras, temples and other places. He said this would help in effective monitoring and prevention of farm fires.

He said as per directions of the apex court, SHOs would be held accountable if any farm fire incident was witnessed in their areas, and they must give priority to prevent any case. The SHOs must implement a beat system effectively to curtail the farm fires.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included ADCs Varinder Pal Singh Bajwa, Jasbir Singh and Major Dr Amit Mahajan.

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#Agriculture #Environment #Farm Fires #Pollution #Stubble Burning