Stubble burning cases witness rise in district

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 16

Even after issuance of several instructions by the state government and introduction of various straw management programmes, there is no respite from the menace of stubble burning in the district.

A large number of straw burning incidents have been reported in recent days from various villages in the district. As the harvesting season is still on, a total of 71 cases have been recorded from September 23 to October 15, and as per officials of the Agriculture Department, these cases are multiplying every day. The incidents were mostly reported from the blocks, Lohian, Nakodar, Shahkot, Bhogpur and Mehtapur. On October 14, only nine fresh incidents were detected on satellites with specific latitudinal and longitudinal details.

District environment engineer of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Arun Kakkar said while 41 straw burning cases were detected through satellite in Jalandhar, 30 cases were detected in Kapurthala.

Though five SDM-level teams have been formed by the district administration to monitor the practice of straw burning, the authorities have apparently failed to curb them at ground level. ADC Jasbir Singh said the administration had roped in several teams to prevent the burning of crop residue. “Teams comprising 875 village-level nodal officers, 52 cluster incharges and 5 SDMs are not only safeguarding farmers from straw burning but also sensitsing them to its ill-effects. Besides, both Agriculture Department and the PPCB were conducting awareness camps and programmes in various villages to educate farmers about eco-friendly ways of paddy straw management,” added Jasbir.

Kakkar said 122 farmers in Jalandhar were caught burning the paddy straw and were issued challans of Rs3,80,000 last year. Likewise, 114 offendors of Kapurthala were issued challans of Rs3,82,500. The penalties were imposed on the basis of Rs2,500 for crop residue burnt in two acres, that extended further according to size of the land.

Farmers alleged that though the government claimed to provide them subsidy amount on purchase of machines to manage paddy straw, no subsidy had been actually provided to farmers, who had collectively bought the machines.