Haryana State Pollution Control Board Secretary Pradeep Kumar reported a big drop in stubble burning cases in 2023.
On the continuing stubble burning difficulty in Haryana and Punjab, Haryana State Pollution Control Board Secretary Pradeep Kumar stated on Tuesday that the cases of stubble burning diminished from 7,000 in 2023 to 2,300 in 2021.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar stated “In 2021, there were around 7,000 cases of stubble burning which has now reduced to 2,300 in 2023. Farmers are being encouraged and nodal officers are monitoring the situation to decrease the cases.”
Further, Kumar stated that the harvesting takes place in two phases-early and late after which the stubble burning takes place. “Some regions have early harvesting and some have late harvesting. After that, they do the stubble burning. There are several policies through which farmers are being encouraged to not indulge in stubble burning. At times, fines are also imposed if the farmers are caught indulged in stubble burning,” he added. Meanwhile, on October 21, the Punjab farmers urged the federal government to discover a everlasting resolution for the stubble burning and claimed burning the stubble was their compulsion.
This follows an incident of stubble burning reported in Nehian Wala village, Bathinda, Punjab, on Sunday night. Speaking to ANI, farmer Ram Singh, expressed his considerations, and stated, “The government should find a permanent solution so that the incidents of stubble burning can be reduced. Burning stubble is our compulsion. The government is not giving any solution; rather, cases are being registered against the farmers. They always blame the farmers for pollution. Are there no factories and industries in Delhi and Punjab? Are they not contributing to pollution?”
To cease farmers from burning stubble, the Haryana state authorities, in an official order, acknowledged that as per the instructions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), FIRs must be registered towards all farmers who burn or have burnt paddy crop residue in the course of the present season, ranging from September 15. “A red entry should be made in the Meri Fasal Mera Bayora (MFMB) record of farmers found involved in paddy crop residue burning, which will restrict them from selling their crops in the markets through the e-Kharid portal during the next two seasons,” stated a discover by the Haryana authorities.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA employees and is revealed from ANI)
