Dousing farm fires

IT’s that time of year again, when Punjab and Haryana come under intense scrutiny to gauge the success of their efforts to control farm fires. Punjab claims to have taken several proactive, even penal, measures. A series of reports in The Tribune has brought out the trials and tribulations as well as the hits and misses in the state’s campaign. Red entries are being made in the revenue records of farmers who burn crop residue. They can’t apply for or renew arms licences. In Amritsar, as stubble management plans falter and baler operators cry foul, quickfix options are being tried out. In Sangrur, the district with the most farm fires in the past, scientific solutions have been chalked out. Ludhiana, strangely, is seeing opposition to such interventions. It’s a long, tough road ahead. Much more is expected than a strategy that can at best deliver a slight drop in count.

Like last year, paddy harvesting, and stubble burning as a result, has started early in Punjab this season. Those setting stubble on fire insist that since the window for sowing wheat is short, this is the quickest way to get rid of the paddy residue. Several districts have been identified as stubble-burning hotspots. Teams of government staff have been activated. With farmers’ unions warning against coercive methods, any stringent action is unlikely. A reassuring aspect is the growing awareness among farmers of the need to desist from stubble burning and how it is in everyone’s interest, in particular their own. The worrying part is the inefficacy of policy initiatives. State support and optimum incentivisation have to be at the core of plans to counter the resistance.

The farm fire season often becomes a rallying point against the farmers. Irresponsible and uninformed reactions only complicate the pressing issue and dilute the debate.