No 'option', farmers to burn stubble in Sangrur

Tribune News Service

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, October 20

Despite repeated warnings against stubble-burning, farmers of the district are resorting to the practice after harvesting paddy.

During an indefinite protest near the Chief Minister residence here, farmers said since the Punjab Government had failed to provide them with financial aid and the required machinery, they were left with no option but to burn stubble.

“I am a patient of asthma and face a lot of problems while burning stubble every year. We are compelled to burn stubble on our four-acre farm every year as the government has failed to provide us with any alternative,” said Nirajan Singh, a farmer.

Protesters block road leading to CM’s house 

Famers sitting on an indefinite protest in Sangrur near the CM’s residence from October 9 blocked a road leading to the residence from the Patiala road on Thursday

The Sangrur-Patiala road had already been blocked by them since the start of the protest

They also threatened to block another road if the government failed to take quick action on their demands

Many farmers, while talking to The Tribune, admitted that they would resort to burning stubble if the government failed to give them Rs 200 per quintal bonus to manage the stubble.

Besides financial aid, farmers are also demanding machines in each village. Farmers said only a few of them had got machines to date.

“I have suffered losses due to repeated crop failures. Officials of the Agriculture Department visited my fields and prepared reports, but I have not received any financial aid from the government even once. The debt of private money lender is increasing and now the government wants me to spend extra to manage stubble. It is not possible,” said Darshan Singh, a farmer from Moonak area.

In many villages, farmers have started preparations to stop government officials from visiting their fields after they have burnt paddy stubble. Farmers of some areas are also planning to form special committees to keep round-the-clock watch over the entry of government officials in their villages.

“Government officials are our brothers, but they are being compelled to take action against us. Though we will not allow them to visit our fields, we will also not create any problems for them as we plan to stop them politely,” said Gamdhoor Singh, a farmer from Sunam area.

Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary, BKU Ugrahan, said: “Farmers do not want to burn their fields, but they are being compelled to do it. The government should give farmers the required number of machines to prevent stubble- burning in the state.”

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