Stubble burning: Prosecution sword hanging over more than 20 officials in Mohali district
More than 20 nodal officers, SHOs and beat officers are staring at judicial court action after they have been found reluctant to curb farm fire incidents at villages in Mohali district.
Several officials of the agriculture, revenue, police and other departments and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the municipal corporation have been issued warning letters after it came to the fore that did not reach the spot where farmers set crop residue on fire. They were just one step away from facing prosecution, an official said.
All officials have been asked to file a reply for the violation of the directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management for checking stubble burning.
“Most nodal officers under fire in Mohali district are from the Kharar and Dera Bassi area,” sources said.
To relay the message strongly, Kharar SDM Gurmandar Singh monitored the controlling of farm fires in the Kurali area a fortnight ago. The action comes after the directions were issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (NCR and adjoining areas) on October 10, “In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Commission under Section L4 (2), Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates in the states are authorised to file a complaint/prosecution before jurisdictional judicial magistrate in case of inaction by officials responsible for effective enforcement towards ensuring elimination of paddy stubble burning in their respective jurisdiction.”
An emergency meeting of the administration and police officials in this regard was held at Mohali on October 13. The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre had reported 26 cases in the district, out of which only six were reportedly found correct on the ground after which the administration ordered the Chief Agricultural Officer to file a fact-finding report with minute details. With the paddy season coming to an end, the next two weeks are going to be crucial for all stakehold.
