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Ground-level inquiry into stubble burning incidents ordered by Moga district authorities
The Moga DC said there could be several reasons behind stubble burning which need to be investigated in detail
: With 43 incidents of stubble burning reported in Moga district during the ongoing wheat harvesting season, deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh on Monday ordered the agriculture department to conduct a ground-level inquiry to ascertain the cause of these fires and a study as to why these events are not ending.
The DC held a meeting with officials of various departments to check wheat stubble burning in the district.
He said that there could be several reasons behind the burning of wheat stubble and paddy straw which need to be investigated in detail.
Singh directed the agriculture department to conduct a ground-level inquiry into the occurrence of stubble burning incidents and submit a report with a study explaining why these incidents are not ending.
Out of 43 fires in Moga so far, it was found that there were several incidents where the fire was caused by the fault in combine harvesters and reapers, he said, directing the owners of combine harvesters and reapers to use only technically sound machinery.
He said that cluster and nodal officers have been set up in the district to prevent fire incidents. It is their responsibility to first make the farmers aware and if any violation is committed then strict legal action should be taken against them.
He appealed to the farmers to get out of the habit of burning straw and stubble to save the productivity of the land and protect the environment.
An agriculture department official said that in the district, most of the wheat stubble is used for making dry fodder for cattle, but even after making fodder, some farmers burn the leftover roots too which can be easily mixed in the soil after watering the field moderately and ploughing it.
“We are spreading awareness among farmers on the bad effects of stubble burning on the soil but still many do not understand the issue and follow the same old practices,” official added.
