Karnal, October 3: Deputy Director of Agriculture, Dr. Wazir Singh, stated that the district administration is on constant alert to completely prevent incidents of stubble burning after harvest. In this regard, on Vijayadashami yesterday, a flag march was held in various villages of the Nilokheri block under the leadership of SDM Ashok Kumar. He was accompanied by DSP Nilokheri, Mahabir Singh, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Wazir Singh, BDPO Nilokheri, Mr. Ashutosh, Assistant Plant Protection Officer, Suresh Kumar, Block Agriculture Officer Rampal, SHO Nilokheri, Rajpal Singh, SHO Nigdu, Sandeep Singh, and Agriculture Development Officer Jaswinder Singh. The flag march began in Nilokheri and visited the villages of Sandhir, Sikri, Barsalu, Samana Bahu, Badthal, Anjanthali, Kamalpur, Jamba, Bukhapuri, Haibatpur, Patanpuri, Nigdu, Beed-Baralwa, Koir, Majra Rodan, Sitamai, Karsa-Dod, and Raisan.
SDM Nilokheri, Ashok Kumar, told farmers that burning of crop residue will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Farmers violating these orders will be charged environmental compensation of Rs. 5,000 per incident for those with less than 2 acres of land, Rs. 10,000 per incident for those with 2 acres or more but less than 5 acres, and Rs. 30,000 per incident for those with more than 5 acres of land. Recovery will be made, and an FIR will be filed against the farmer responsible for the arson, and a red entry will be made on his Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal record.
He stated that during the flag march, farmers were urged to adopt crop residue management and, instead of burning stubble, make it a source of income. This is beneficial for both us and the environment and the soil. Burning residue left after harvesting paddy has emerged as a serious environmental crisis, posing a threat to human health. Burning crop residue releases harmful gases into the air, increasing pollution. Pollution can cause respiratory problems, eye irritation, and other health problems. Nutrients in the soil are destroyed, and the number of microorganisms and earthworms decreases, reducing soil fertility.
SDM Ashok Kumar also issued strict orders to all officers and employees on duty to ensure no negligence in preventing stubble burning. He said that the government has banned burning of stubble. Therefore, farmers should not burn stubble under any circumstances, rather they should either dispose of it in the field itself through various agricultural equipment being provided under the government's crop residue management scheme or make bundles of stubble and sell them, this will give double benefit to the farmers and will also prevent environmental pollution. During the flag march, two combine harvesters were caught harvesting paddy without super straw management system. They have been stopped and seized, and further action will be taken as per rules. This year, notices have been issued to all the owners of combine harvesters in the district to install super straw management system while harvesting paddy. In accordance with the directives of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, taking into account the problem of paddy stubble burning in Haryana and its adverse impact on the environment, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, exercising its powers under Section 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, has issued instructions that owners of combine harvesters wishing to harvest paddy in Haryana must install a Super Straw Management System with their combine harvesters, and no combine harvester will be permitted to harvest paddy in Haryana without a Super Straw Management System.
He stated that to ensure compliance with the above directives, no combine harvester in the district will be permitted to harvest paddy without a Super Straw Management System. Enforcement teams, constituted by the Honorable Deputy Commissioner, Karnal, will inspect these areas through district-level, block-level, tehsil-level, and village-level committees. Any combine harvester found harvesting paddy in Karnal district without a Super Straw Management System will be subject to legal action. Wazir Singh, Deputy Director of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, stated that FIRs have been filed against four farmers in the district for stubble burning. They have been fined as per the rules and a red entry has been made on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal, preventing them from selling their crops at the MSP for the next two seasons. He stated that all four farmers belong to the Gharaunda block of the district. An FIR has been filed against farmer Jasmer, resident of village Kaimla, for setting fire to paddy stubble in a field in village Malikpur. An FIR has been filed against farmers Dinesh Kumar and Surjeet, residents of Furlak, and farmer Vicky, son of Rajkumar, resident of village Bijna, for setting fire to paddy stubble at the relevant police station under Section 39 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Section 223(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 2023.