Red entries made in records of 1,060 farmers for burning stubble

Tightening the noose around farmers allegedly involved in farm fires, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has made red entries in Meri Fasal, Mera Byora (MFMB) record of around 1,060 farmers, barring them from selling their produce in mandis for two procurement seasons, an official said.

The step was initiated by the government last month after the rising pollution level in the NCR and displeasure of the Supreme Court over pollution and increasing number of active fire locations (AFLs) during paddy harvesting.

In October, a senior official of the department had issued a letter to Deputy Commissioners and Deputy Directors, Agriculture, to make red entries against the MFMB record of farmers found burning stubble. Red entry restricts farmers to sell their crop in grain markets through e-kharid portal during the next two procurement seasons, which means they will have to sell the crop in the private market, and likely below MSP.

From September 15 to November 26, the state has recorded 1,358 cases of AFLs, a significant fall in cases compared to last year, when the state recorded 2,284 cases during this period.

According to data, Jind district was leading the tally with 208 cases, followed by Kaithal (194), Sirsa (172), Kurukshetra (132), Fatehabad (130), Ambala (94), Karnal (94), Sonepat (66), Faridabad (47), Hisar (45), Panipat (41), Palwal (38), Yamunanagar (38), Rohtak (22), Panchkula (19), Jhajjar (11) and Bhiwani (7).

The BKU, however, has asked the government not to implement it. “We demand the government cancel all FIRs as well as red entries, otherwise we will have no option but to protest,” said Bahadur Singh Mehla, spokesperson, BKU (Sir Chhotu Ram).