Farmers stop officials from issuing challan

Nearly hundred farmers gheraoed a team of officials that had gone to issue a challan to a farmer for burning stubble at Bhaini Bagha village here on Wednesday. The team, which included two policemen, remained surrounded by farmers for around an hour and a half.

Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha, district president of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), said, “The officials had come to issue a challan to a farmer who had burnt stubble on just a few kanals and even uploaded a video.”

“The farmer had harvested paddy on his three acres on October 10 and had requested the Agriculture Department to arrange a baler for stubble management. When the baler was not arranged even after 12 days, he set some portion of the paddy residue on fire to lodge his protest,” he added.

The farm leader said as soon as the team reached the village, they gheraoed it.

“Later, the police assured us that no action would be taken against the farmer. Then the team was allowed to return around 8 pm. The police have also assured us that in future too, they will not act against farmers. However, if any punitive action is taken, we will now gherao the police station,” he said.

Mansa SSP Bhagirath Singh Meena said, “It would have been a routine matter.”

Some farmers have been uploading videos on social media while burning paddy stubble and claiming a shortage of baler machines. Earlier, farmer leader Rinku Moonak from Sangrur had also uploaded a video in this regard.

In Barnala district, some farmers have put up hoardings in villages questioning the state government as to why they should not burn stubble, accusing it of failing to provide financial assistance despite the directives of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.