Smoke from burning wheat stubble troubles commuters

Tarn Taran, May 20

The administration has found itself helpless in checking the menace of stubble burning which is causing a serious threat to lives and disturbing normal life too. From Tarn Taran to Sarai Amanat Khan village, a stretch of 32 kilometers, the whole area was filled with smoke arising from the burning of wheat stubble and unbearable heat on Monday.

From Tarn Taran on to the fields of Kajikot, Kairowal, Noordi, Kot Dharan Chand Khurd, Kot Dharam Chand Kalan, Lagu Ghuman, Jhabal, Baghiari, Dode, Kot Siwian, Gandiwind and Sarai Amanat Khan villages, the main road was filled with smoke arising from the burning of wheat stubble and the heat was strong enough to cause a threat to the well-being of commuters.

A farmer Waryan Singh, seen standing at Dode village, said there was no other substitute for cleaning the fields of weeds than burning the stubble. He said the administration too was aware of the problem but preferred to look the other way when the stubble was set alight in the fields. Normal traffic has been hit because of stubble burning and the administration was proving to be a mute spectator.

Near Dode village, the vehicles had to stop on the road, waiting for the intensity of the smoke and heat to ebb. There were reports that on roads in Khadoor Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Chohla Sahib, Jandiala Guru, Khemkaran, Valtoha, Bhikhiwind, Harike and other areas, a large number of farmers were burning the stubble en masse.

Tejinderpal Singh Rasulpur, a farmer leader said that the state government was yet to suggest cheap and easy substitute to manage wheat stubble to make the fields friendly for the next crop to sow.

Harpal Singh Pannu, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), said that in official reports, there was mention of 930 burning spots till May 19 this year as compared to 554 spots on the same date in 2023. He said that only one case has been registered under Section 188 of CrPC in Bhikhiwind area against burning stubble this year till date. The Agriculture Officer said that as many as 550 village level nodal officers have been deputed to make the farmers aware about the ill-effects of stubble burning.