After Supreme Court rap, 245 FIRs filed against Punjab farmers, Rs 88L fine imposed on 3,836

Tribune Reporters

Chandigarh, November 9

On the first day of the crackdown against those burning paddy stubble, which is a major contributing factor to smog over most of the North, the police registered 245 FIRs for violating the law today.

After the Supreme Court pulled up the state government over rampant stubble burning incidents, the civil administration and police got into action, held meetings with sarpanches, formed flying squads and imposed fines. Commissioners of Police and SSPs sensitised farm leaders on the gravity of the situation.

Meetings held with Sarpanches

A total of 1,309 meetings were held by SHOs with sarpanches to sensitise them. As many as 638 flying squads have been formed to check farm fires. Fines worth Rs 88.23 lakh have been imposed on 3,836 farmers. — Gaurav Yadav, DGP

We are not criminals

The government should send machines for clearing crop residue. Small farmers are helpless and the government should extend a helping hand and not label us as criminals. — Rajeet Singh, Farmer

Earlier in the day, DGP Gaurav Yadav held a meeting with officers of all ranks to SHOs to instruct them on stopping the farm fires in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court. “Across the state, 1,309 meetings were held by the SHOs with sarpanches to sensitise them an the orders. As many as 638 flying squads comprising police and civil officials were formed to check stubble burning. Fines worth Rs 88.23 lakh were imposed on 3,836 farmers,” said the DGP.

The police action has not been taken well by farmers, who claim that there is a severe shortage of balers to manage stubble scientifically. In Ludhiana, farmer Rajeet Singh from village Neowal said the government should send machines for clearing crop residue. “We are not criminals. Small farmers are helpless and the government should extend a helping hand and not label us as criminals,” he said.

Only 17 cases of burning were reported in Ludhiana today. Though no FIR was registered, an environmental compensation fine of Rs 6.75 lakh was imposed.

In Amritsar, 23 FIRs were registered against farmers in the district, said Gurpartap Singh Sahota, SP, Amritsar Rural. He said if any farmer was found indulging in stubble burning, action was being initiated as per the order of the apex court. He said cluster officers, nodal officers and SHOs would be held responsible for violations in their areas.

Across the Doaba region, police teams remained pro-active with regards to keeping a check on farm fires. Taking along fire fighting equipment, DSPs and SHOs visited the fields which were being set on fire, and doused the flames using water hoses and buckets of water. Announcements were also made in villages warning farmers against any further attempt to set fields on fire. All those farmers who confronted the teams were booked by the police.

Shahkot, Phillaur and Sultanpur Lodhi have been “problem areas” for officials. Shahkot alone has reported 254 fire incidents out of 908 in the nine tehsils of Jalandhar. So far, eight FIRs have been lodged against farmers and 162 of them have faced a penalty of Rs 3.97 lakh.

In Kapurthala, there have been 851 incidents of farm fire but 10 FIRs have been lodged so far. A fine of Rs 4.15 lakh, however, has been imposed on 159 farmers. In Nawanshahr, where only 40 fire spots have been identified, 11 FIRs have been lodged. Just one FIR has been lodged in Hoshiarpur, where the number of fires reported is 98.

Bathinda DC Shaukat Ahmed Parray visited villages in Talwandi Sabo. In Faridkot, 11 cases under Section 188 of the CrPC were registered and six farmers nominated in these cases, five of these cases were against unknown persons.

In Fazilka, the police swung into action and registered 11 FIRs against farmers for burning stubble. SSP Manjeet Singh Dhesi said two FIRs each were registered in Amir Khas and Vairoke, one each in Sadar Abohar, Bahawala, Khui Khera, Sadar Fazilka and three in other police stations.

Deputy Commissioner Senu Duggal said 85 challans were issued to the farmers and a penalty of

Rs 2,22,500 imposed.

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