Experts oppose decriminalising farm fires

Term it setback to those using stubble mgmt techniques

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 29

The announcement of the central government to decriminalise stubble burning and the delay in the equipment for those who want to manage stubble without burning it may further aggravate the situation.

“Total decriminalisation of stubble burning will further aggravate the situation as many who have been managing stubble without burning it will feel discouraged. There must be at least some symbolic penalty to prevent farm fires,” said Dr AS Mann, president of the Scientific Awareness Forum, Sangrur.

Meanwhile, in Sangrur alone, 1,678 individual general category farmers are waiting for stubble management equipment while 730 got it after November 24, when they had already done sowing of their crops.

Amid claims of the Punjab Government of providing required help to farmers, till October 31, of the total 630, 555 farm machines had come for custom hiring centres, 40 for primary agriculture cooperative societies and 19 for panchayats while the remaining were for 16 individual farmers from the reserved category in Sangrur. However, not a single individual of the general category received any machines this year.

“The Agriculture Department has given machines very late as more than 90 per cent sowing of crops has been done. We have written to the central government for a high-level inquiry and action against officials who delayed the process,” said Aman Punia, co-incharge, BJP Kisan Morcha, Punjab. Sangrur Chief Agriculture Officer Jaswinderpal Singh Grewal said, “We will allot more machines after receiving funds.”