Stubble burning continues in Karnal despite NGT ban

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, September 20

Despite a ban on stubble burning by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), farmers continue to defy the orders with impunity. As many as five incidents of stubble burning have been reported in the district in the last one week.

Deputy Director, Agriculture, Aditya Dabas said one FIR each had been registered in Sangoha, Sangohi and Ramba villages in Indri block and two in Karnal block. A fine of Rs 50,000 had been imposed on farmers, he added.

During the paddy season last year, Karnal was among the top violator districts in the state and a major contributor to pollution caused by stubble burning in the NCR. More than 225 FIRs were registered in 2017 and 308 in 2016.

The district has cultivated paddy on 1.65 lakh hectare this year as compared to 1.70 lakh hectare last year. Farmers have started harvesting the crop. They are of the view that burning is an easy way to decompose residue.

Sewa Singh Arya, national vice-president of the BKU-Arya faction, alleged that the government was responsible for stubble burning as it had failed to provide sufficient stubble management equipment to farmers.

The availability of equipment at custom hiring centres (CHCs) was not sufficient, he said, adding that the constitution of CHCs should have been done six months ago, so that farmers could get themselves enrolled.

Arya said the cost of the equipment was high and a small farmer could not afford.

In contrary, the administration is claiming that several steps have been initiated to motivate farmers.

“The burning of crop residue in fields after crop harvesting is a punishable offence as it emits harmful gases. We have constituted 117 CHCs comprising more than eight members in each. The total target is 120. Two farmers’ producer organisations, comprising more than 200 farmers in one, have also been formed in the district,” said Dabas.

He said a 50 per cent subsidy was being given to a farmer for stubble management equipment while 80 per cent was being given to a CHC. Latest agricultural equipment such as mulcher, bailer, reversible plough, happy seeder, paddy straw chopper, shedder, shrub master, cutter-cum-spreader, zero till, seed till and rotavator and others were available on subsidy, he added.

Sources said for effective implementation of the stubble management scheme in Haryana, the Centre had approved Rs 215 crore as against Rs 75 crore last year.