24 agri officers suspended for stubble burning lapses
The Director of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Rajnarayan Kaushik, has suspended 24 officials for their alleged failure to control stubble burning in their respective areas during the current harvesting season. While the official suspension order did not explicitly state the reason, a senior department official confirmed it was due to their inability to manage the stubble burning situation.
12 FIRs in Karnal, 7 farmers arrested
The Deputy Director of Agriculture in Karnal said surveillance in the fields has been increased. As many as 12 FIRs have been registered against farmers for violating norms and burning stubble. The Karnal police have arrested seven farmers, while Kaithal police have also made two arrests for similar violations.
Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana confirmed that the suspension was linked to negligence in curbing stubble burning incidents. “Action is taken against farmers for stubble burning, and the same action is applied to officials who fail in their duty to prevent it. In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions, we are taking every step to stop these incidents. Haryana is working diligently to address the issue,” he told mediapersons. He also claimed that 3,000 FIRs have been registered across the state.
The suspended officials include two each from Panipat, Jind, Hisar, and Sonepat districts, with three each from Kaithal, Karnal, Fatehabad, and Ambala. Kurukshetra recorded the highest number of suspensions, with four officials facing action.
“Twenty-four officials have been suspended on administrative grounds. Some were absent from duty when tasked with controlling stubble burning, while others failed to manage the situation in their areas, where the number of incidents was alarmingly high,” said a senior officer from the department.
Despite government efforts, stubble burning remains a significant environmental and health concern. According to satellite data from September 15 to October 22, the state has recorded 665 active fire locations (AFLs). Kaithal leads with 129 cases, followed by Kurukshetra (93), Ambala (74), and Karnal (71).
