E-Paper
Punjab goes slow on farm fire FIRs
Calls it a matter of grave concern, directs DCs, SSPs to put in all efforts to reduce stubble burning incidents to zero. As the number of farm fire cases has gone up in Punjab despite the Supreme Court directions, the state government appears to be “going soft on farmers and is dithering from registering FIRs”.
Strap: Chief secy writes to DCs, SSPs of 5 dists, tells them to reduce stubble burning incidents to zero
: As farm fires continue to rage in Punjab despite the Supreme Court’s directions, the state government appears to be “going slow on registering FIRs against farmers.”
According to a data accessed by HT, the state government so far has registered over 253 FIRs into stubble burning incidents. Of these, 242 were registered in just two days, November 8 and November 9, when the state government had to file a reply in the apex court on the action taken in the matter.
Notably, the state has witnessed more than 4,000 farm fires since November 9, but only 11 FIRs have been registered, as per the data.
Chief secretary Anurag Verma has written to deputy commissioners and SSPs of Sangrur, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Jagraon and Khanna raising alarm over the sharp spike in the stubble burning incidents.
“As you are aware that the top court has taken a very serious view of the stubble burning incidents in the state, it has been observed that on November 12 there were an unduly large number of stubble burning incidents in your district. This is a matter of grave concern. You are directed to put in all possible efforts and reduce these crop burning incidents to zero,” the chief secretary’s letter read.
A senior government functionary, pleading anonymity, said the government was under huge pressure from the farming community and the teams inspecting the fields have been facing huge resistance from them.
Punjab Police’s nodal officer to check stubble burning cases and special DGP, law and order, Arpit Shukla said the police are making strict efforts to implement the SC directions.
“We have issued strict directions to SSPs to jointly inspect fields with deputy commissioners. Similarly, our DSPs are also checking the stubble fire cases along with SDMs. On Tuesday, I conducted a video-conference meeting with all SSPs, IGs and DIGs to make best efforts to check stubble fire,” said Shukla.
Verma said the administration was making its best efforts and over 253 FIRs have been registered so far this year against seven cases registered last year.
