BURNING ISSUE: 3 farmers booked, 81 FIRs for violation of stubble burning in Ferozepur
Stop stubble burning, rather go in for its management or face music: DC
BURNING ISSUE: 3 farmers booked, 81 FIRs for violation of stubble burning in Ferozepur
Stop stubble burning, rather go in for its management or face music: DC
Ferozepur, November 20, 2023: Ferozepur, November 20, 2023: The fire to crop residue in the fields continued to pollute the environment despite the booking of three farmers in the district and the registration of a number of cases against unidentified persons. Deputy Commissioner, Rajesh Dhiman has appealed to the farmers not to go in for stubble burning but rather to go in for its management, to contribute to maintaining the environment in the area, or to face the music.
The stubble burning cases in Ferozepur are 3167 during the current year as against 4295 in the previous year, in Moga 2417 against 3609, in Bathinda 2809 against 4592, in Mansa 2215 against 2815 and in Barnala 2206 against 2910.
As of today, 81 FIRs registered including 11 on Sunday for violation of stubble burning by the police, and booked only the unidentified persons at Sadar Ferozepour, Arif Ke, Mamdot, Kulgarhi, Talwandi Bhai, Zira City, Sadar Zira, Makhu, Mallanwala, Lakho Ke Behram, and Guruharsahai. Earlier in the six FIRs registered at Sadar Zira, /Ghall Khurd, Kulgari, and Arif Ke police stations against unidentified persons.
At Mallanwala village, the police booked two persons identified as Nachhatar Singh and Boota Singh while another farmer identified as Ravinder Singh a resident of Botian Wala in Zira block was booked at the Zira Sadar police station.
The Ferozepur and its surrounding road traffic continue to face poor visibility, especially in the evening besides people face breathing poor quality air because of the high Air Quality Index.
On the other hand, the farmers claim that they are left with no option but to burn the crop residue in the fields due to the short period between paddy harvesting and the sowing of wheat. The other point taken is that if they sow wheat without burning or removing the straw, the Rabi Crop gets infested with pests and weeds.
The district administration, police, and agriculture department are on their toes to control the stubble burning and even the fire tenders are being used to distinguish the fire in the fields brought to their notice or pointed out by the nodal officers appointed for monitoring the burning issue.
A retired senior officer, a pass out of PAU Ludhiana, Sahi DK said, If just by penalizing farmers, stubble burning could be stopped, we should have been able to end it by now. Merely issuing the orders is not the solution to control the pollution due to stubble burning. There is a need to adopt serious other measures for stubble management including completely stopping stubble burning that releases harmful pollutants into the air and can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, and cancer. It can also damage crops and ecosystems. The government can ban stubble burning altogether, with strict penalties for violators.
