Red-entries made against 317 Haryana farmers for farm fires

In Kaithal, which has so far recorded the maximum, 149, stubble burning cases in the state, 66 farmers have been restricted from selling their crops through e-kharid portal for two seasons.

Cracking the whip against farmers burning paddy stubble, the Haryana government has made “red-entries” against 317 farmers on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal, barring them from selling their produce in the state’s mandis, data shared by the agriculture department revealed on Wednesday.

A vehicle of the Public Works Department (PWD) sprays water using an anti-smog gun to curb air pollution amid smoggy conditions in New Delhi on October 23, 2024. Acrid clouds engulfed India's capital on October 23, as air pollution fuelled by fireworks and farm stubble burning was ranked "hazardous" by monitors for the first time this winter. (AFP)

In Kaithal, which has so far recorded the maximum, 149, stubble burning cases in the state, 66 farmers have been restricted from selling their crops through e-kharid portal for two seasons.

This comes at a time when farmer unions and the Opposition have been hitting out at the Nayab Saini-led Bharatiya Janata Party government, terming the action an “anti-farmer” move with a motive to “end MSP through backdoor”.

Bahadur Mehla, a progressive farmer and spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sir Chotu Ram), said that due to the policies of the government, poor farmers are bound to burn the paddy straw. “Farmers are ready to make biles or bury stubble in farms, but they are unable to get machines for stubble management. One or two machines are available in 10-15 villages and all government’s plans are limited to just papers. There is nothing on the ground and by doing all the enforcement tactics, they just aim to trouble the farmers,” he said.

The government action comes in the backdrop of the rising pollution levels in the National Capital and hearing before the Supreme Court, which had slammed the Punjab and Haryana governments, for their failure to take effective action against stubble burning.

The Haryana chief secretary also appeared in person before the apex court on Wednesday, a day after the government suspended 24 officials and employees of the agriculture department for failing to curb stubble burning.

It also turned out that out of the 633 active fire locations (AFLs) detected by the satellites, blaze was found at only 426 spots, including 13 on non-agricultural land, during inspection by field officials.