No stopping farm fires in Amritsar, Tarn Taran

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 20

The efforts being made by the Punjab Government to check burning of crop residue in fields seems to have miserably failed as the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre has so far reported a whopping 787 farm fire incidents from Amritsar district.

Rs 4.20 lakh fine imposed

• 787 farm fire incidents reported from Amritsar district
• A fine of Rs 4.20 lakh imposed on farmers for violating ban
• In adjoining Tarn Taran district, the fire count has reached 683

Red entries

Red entries have been marked in revenue records of 214 farmers in Amritsar. — Dr Jatinder Singh Gill, Chief Agri Officer

The farm fire incidents reported for the corresponding period during the previous year were nearly 8 per cent low. District officials attributed the higher incidents of farm fires to early harvesting this year.

Chief Agricultural Officer Dr Jatinder Singh Gill said, “Last year, till October 20, crop on only 32 per cent of the area under paddy was harvested. However, this year, the area under early sown basmati varieties has increased and so far, crop on 54 per cent of the area under paddy has been harvested.”

Of the 1.80 lakh hectares under paddy this year, the early sown basmati varieties were cultivated on over 50,000 hectares. The district officials said efforts were being made to check the farm fires and the administration had imposed a cumulative fine of Rs 4.20 lakh on farmers for violating the ban on burning of crop residue. The administration has also marked “red entries” in the revenue records of 214 farmers.

In the adjoining Tarn Taran district, the number of farm fire incidents has increased as compared to last year. This paddy season, the district has reported 683 farm fire incidents, while it had reported 609 cases during the corresponding period last year. In both districts, fines have been imposed for violation, but no FIR has been registered against any farmer so far.

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#Agriculture #Environment #farm fires #Pollution #tarn taran