The district administration is fully prepared to check stubble burning, Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said on Wednesday.
“With paddy harvesting likely to pick up momentum in the next fortnight, we have devised a three-pronged strategy. We are focusing on awareness generation coupled with in-situ and ex-situ stubble management besides stringent action against the errant farmers,” he added.
“Awareness vans have been flagged off which are touring villages and making people aware of the adverse effects of stubble burning and the machinery available to manage it. Posters, pamphlets, wall paintings, demonstration plots and anti-stubble burning announcements from local gurdwaras comprise the other information, education and communication (IEC) activities,” Dayalan said.
The area under paddy cultivation in the district is around 25,800 hectares, which is expected to produce 1.29 lakh quintal crop residue. There are 1,700 stubble management machines in Mohali, which are provided on rent to farmers through 67 cooperative societies and 29 custom hiring centres.
Besides, there are 75 combines with super straw management system and 4,000 harrows for the stubble management. Through the in-situ crop residue management scheme, 107 new machines are also being provided to the societies/farmers. “We expect to successfully tackle stubble management with these machines,” Dayalan said.
“We have formed rapid response teams and appointed village-level nodal officers who would monitor the area under their jurisdiction and report stubble burning, if any,” the DC said, adding that they have been trained to use ATR mobile app through which they will share on-the-spot action taken report. “Response time is fixed and it is mandatory for every officer to update the report within the stipulated period,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“We have formed rapid response teams and appointed village-level nodal officers who would monitor the area under their jurisdiction and report stubble burning, if any,” the DC said, adding that they have been trained to use ATR mobile app through which they will share on-the-spot action taken report. “Response time is fixed and it is mandatory for every officer to update the report within the stipulated period,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Immediate response to the fire incidents resulting in quick slapping of penalties on errant farmers will deter others to follow suit,” Dayalan said. The other punitive actions include registration of FIRs and red entry in the revenue record of the erring farmers.
Any land with red entry is difficult to sell or mortgage.
Mohali was third in the state last year among the districts which recorded least stubble burning incidents. In 2019, 82 people were penalised to the tune of ₹2.55 lakh and seven FIRs were registered.