Haryana orders FIRs for stubble burning

Aiming to curb farm fire cases, the Haryana agriculture department has issued directions to register FIRs against farmers found burning crop residue besides imposing restriction on selling crops in mandis through the e-kharid portal for the next two seasons.

Issuing orders on Thursday to the deputy commissioners and the deputy directors of agriculture (DDAs) (except Narnaul) to mark a red entry in Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) of farmers involved in residue burning, the department also asked the field officials to make sure that the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) are implemented and FIRs registered against those who have burnt the paddy crop residue during the current season since September 15 and prosecution is ensured.

When asked about the agriculture department’s notification, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said the farmers of Haryana are fully aware (about ill effects of burning crop residue) and that they do not resort to such practices. He said the state government was taking every step to curb farm fires by creating awareness and by giving subsidy on equipments to manage crop residue.

He said there has been a reduction in stubble burning incidents in Haryana. According to him, the Supreme Court has also praised the state’s farmers on this issue.

Recently, the Supreme Court had slammed the Punjab and Haryana governments for their “failure” to take effective action against stubble burning, while highlighting the increase in farm fire cases in both states.

The apex court has also summoned the Haryana chief secretary to appear on October 23 to “explain not only the non-compliance but also taking stringent action against violators”.

On Friday, 26 stubble burning cases were recorded, including 10 from Karnal, taking the total cases in the state this season to 627. So far, Kaithal has topped the chart with 117 cases, followed by 89 in Kurukshetra and 67 in Karnal.

Wazir Singh, deputy director of agriculture, Karnal said his department has already carried out several awareness camps covering almost all areas prone to farm fires and at least 450 teams are on field to ensure that the farm fire cases are reduced. He said all cases have been red marked on the MFMB portal and nine cases have been registered, collecting ₹1.07 lakh as fine from violators till Thursday. In Ambala, ₹82,500 fine has been imposed and 36 cases have been red marked.

Karnal deputy commissioner Uttam Singh appealed to the farmers not to burn stubble.