Sangrur: Officers' failure to visit fire sites in time helps farmers escape action

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, November 13

The chances of the Punjab Government taking action against all farmers who are burning paddy stubble are bleak.

Reason: Officers are not able to visit the sites within 24 hours, thus giving farmers enough time to plough their fields and remove the evidence of field fires.

In Sangrur, which is the worst-affected district, till last evening the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) authorities had received information about 5,016 fire incidents from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC).

But strangely, despite clear directions to immediately visit the farm fire sites to ensure timely action against the errant farmers, officers were able to visit 2,653 sites. They found no evidence of fire at 1,859 sites.

“How can the officers visit the sites when we have announced that we will oppose them? A majority of them are preparing their reports in their offices,” said a farmer near Mangwal village.

Till last evening, the authorities had imposed environmental compensation of Rs 19.52 lakh in 781 cases and also made “red-entries” in 781 land records for the burning of stubble.

But the farmers have refused to pay the compensation as they said they were compelled to burn the stubble.

“Farmers are already in debt and how can they pay the compensation for stubble-burning? We are compelled to burn the stubble as the Punjab Government has failed to help us in managing stubble,” said Gurdarshan Singh, a farmer.

Sangrur Nodal Officer and PPCB SDO Mohit Singla said various teams of officers had been visiting the sites where fire incidents had been reported. “We are preparing reports and sending these to senior officials. We will ensure action as per the directions of the government,” he said.