urtej Singh at Ladbanjara. Both failed to send reports on farm fires despite repeated calls from seniors, it is learnt.

Gurtej Singh at Ladbanjara. Both failed to send reports on farm fires despite repeated calls from seniors, it is learnt.

On the report of the Bhawanigarh SDM, Thori recommended action against 10 secretaries—Sagar Singh of Akbarpur, Amarjeet Singh of Bhado village, Jaskarn Singh of Gehlan village, Parmjit Singh of Naraingarh, Joginder Singh of Nagra, Sukhchain Singh of Phaguwala, Major Singh of Bhattiwal Kalan, Jagmail Singh of Alloarkh, Chetan Singh of Balad Khurd and Sukhjinder Singh of Bhawanigarh.

“I have directed the district registrar of cooperative societies to take strict departmental action for dereliction of duty against these employees. They were posted nodal officers and should have acted against farmers burning stubble,” said Thori.

The action, meanwhile, has caused resentment among the officers, who alleged their seniors expected them to act against farmers without providing them the requisite protection. “On several occasions when we went to challan farmers, the villagers would threaten us. We were even chased away with sticks. We approached the police, but they never turned up on time,” said an officer.

The farmers, for their part, have already announced to intensify their agitation if the FIRs against them were not cancelled immediately.

“Without providing us any alternative, the government wants us to manage stubble without burning. It’s not possible. We will start indefinite protests if the FIRs are not cancelled,” said Manjit Singh, Bhawanigarh block president of BKU-Ugrahan.