Police raise awareness among farmers against stubble burning

In a bid to spread awareness among farmers against stubble burning, the Karnal police started an awareness drive on Sunday.

Jundla police post in-charge Sub-Inspector Vinod Kumar, along with police personnel, conducted the drive, urging farmers to refrain from burning paddy straw. This step has been initiated following the directives issued by Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohit Handa.

SI Kumar emphasised the detrimental effects of burning crop residues on the air quality and public health.

During the outreach programme, Kumar said burning straw released significant amounts of organic carbon and pollutants into the atmosphere.

Kumar warned farmers that the extreme heat generated from burning straw destroyed beneficial organisms in the soil, which played a crucial role in maintaining the soil fertility. He encouraged them to explore alternative methods of managing crop residues, suggesting that these materials could be a source of income rather than waste.

The district administration has also issued strict orders against the crop residue burning, with potential legal actions to be taken against violators. Kumar also said the cases had already been registered against farmers who had ignored the directives.