Sangrur: Short-term drives 'lack fire' to curb stubble-burning

Tribune News Service

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, September 8

District Agriculture Department officers claim to have taken various steps against stubble-burning, but a majority of farmers say officers launch such campaigns only a few days before the harvesting thus failing to produce the desired results.

Special campaign this month

Officers are helping farmers, as and when required. The District Agriculture Officer will launch a special campaign against stubble-burning this month. Satpal Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur

The farmers demand that the state government should launch regular campaigns.

“Harvesting of paddy will start next month. So far, I have not seen any agricultural officer visit my village for a camp against stubble-burning. They will knock at our doors when we would have already made up our mind for burning stubble,” said Balwinder Singh, a farmer from Bhawanigarh.

Jagdeep Singh from Kanoi village has not been burning stubble since 2006. “Officers launch only short-term campaigns and visit fields of farmers they know. This will never solve the problem,” he said.

Dr AS Mann, president of NGO Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum, noted that the state government should deploy officers of multiple departments in villages for convening regular meetings with farmers.

“A majority of farmers are aware of the harmful effects of stubble-burning, but when no officer is forthcoming to help them, they resort to burning crop residue,” he said.

Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) leader Manjit Singh Gharachon said the authorities were mistaken if they believed that short-term campaigns would prevent farm fires.

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