District Magistrate, Hoshiarpur, Komal Mittal, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act No. 2 of 1974), on harvesting of paddy with a combine from 7 pm to 10 am within the limits of District Hoshiarpur. Banning orders have been issued. Along with this, he has also banned harvesting of paddy with combines without super straw management system. Apart from this, the District Magistrate has also issued orders to ban burning of paddy straw and crop residues in Hoshiarpur district. These orders will remain in force till December 4, 2023.
The order issued said that during the paddy season, it is common to see combine harvesters working round the clock to harvest paddy. These combines harvest paddy wet from night rain. Thus, the moisture content in paddy exceeds the standard set by the government and procurement agencies are unable to purchase paddy, due to which farmers face unnecessary hassles in the markets in selling paddy.
Moreover, it is also observed that after harvesting of paddy the stubble and residues are set on fire by the respective owners. This has the potential to cause harm and produces a lot of smoke pollution in the air, which can cause respiratory diseases. This also causes loss of useful organic matter in the soil, which is very beneficial for the soil. Due to this, there is a fear of fire in standing crops or even in the village, which can also lead to major accidents. Burning of garbage around the roads disrupts traffic and sometimes poses a risk of accidents. In this regard, instructions have been issued by the Chairman of Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala.