Farmers to gherao officials coming to check farm fires

Parvesh Sharma

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Sangrur, October 31

In a bid to further harden their stance, farmers of many villages have made village-level committees active to gherao various officers who come to check stubble burning. They claimed that they were compelled to burn stubble as the government had failed to provide them with the required help to make alternative arrangements.

Small farmers can’t afford machines

After giving the required machines to some big farmers, the state government is making tall claims. Marginal and small farmers cannot afford these. We will burn stubble and gherao officers who try to harass any farmer. Rinku, Moonak Block General Secretary, BKU Ugrahan

“After giving the required machines to some big farmers, the state government is making tall claims, but, at the ground level, a majority of the farmers are still without machines. Marginal and small farmers cannot afford to purchase or rent these. We will burn stubble and gherao officers who try to harass any farmer,” said Rinku, Moonak block general secretary of the BKU Ugrahan.

Various farmers said most of them could not purchase the required machines. If anyone takes a Happy Seeder on rent, it costs Rs 2,500 per acre for sowing wheat without burning the paddy stubble. But if they burn stubble, then it costs Rs 1,000 per acre.

“The government should make arrangements to make bales of stubble and pay us for transportation, then we will take the stubble from our fields to government sites. Since majority of farmers are already under huge debt, we cannot spend more on making alternative arrangements for paddy stubble,” said Balbir Singh, a farmer from Ladda village.

Meanwhile, some government employees confirmed that they were scared to visit the fields as farmers were openly announcing that they were not allowed entry. In Sangrur, a total 738 incidents of fire have been reported. But officers have been able to impose environmental compensation of Rs 17,500 only in seven cases.

“Whenever any government employee tries to click the picture of a burnt field, farmers started opposing him,” said an officer on the condition of anonymity.

Sangrur Chief Agriculture Officer Harbans Singh said they had been trying to convince farmers against stubble burning. “Many farmers oppose the visits of officers, but if the latter try seriously, they can convince farmers against stubble burning,” he maintained.