Haryana to watch 30 villages known for crop burning
During the monitoring period, officers of the agriculture department will demonstrate paddy harvesting practices and encourage farmers to adopt crop residue management.
The state government has identified 30 villages that will be monitored to prevent stubble burning, which usually takes place in October and early November. DS Dhesi, chief secretary of Haryana government, on Saturday, said that these villages, which have a history of burning stubble, will be monitored till October 5.

“We have identified 30 villages, based on their track record in the last two years, and they will be specifically monitored during this period. Sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and agricultural officers will visit these villages and spread awareness about the harmful effects of stubble burning,” Dhesi said at a meeting of district deputy commissioners and agricultural officers on Saturday.
The number of attempts made by an officer to stop burning of stubble will also find a mention in the SDM’s annual report. During the monitoring period, officers of the agriculture department will demonstrate paddy harvesting practices and encourage farmers to adopt crop residue management.
“Our officers will inform the villagers how the worms in the soil die due to burning of crop residues. They will coordinate with village panchayats and sarpanchs and explain them the perils of burning crop residues. They’ll inform farmers that it is compulsory to attach a straw management system with the combine harvester for paddy harvesting,” Dhesi said. Further, stubble burning will also be monitored through satellites.
The carbon particles that emanate from stubble burning in Haryana, Punjab and parts of Uttar Pradesh results in a spike in the air pollution levels in Gurugram, Delhi and other parts of NCR to alarming levels every year before the winter sets in.
Jai Bhagwan Sharma, regional officer (Gurugram), Haryana State Pollution Control Board, said, “Stubble burning is reported more from paddy-growing districts such as Karnal and Kurukshetra, but the smoke produced because of it can have far-reaching effects. If stubble is burnt over an area of one acre, the smoke keeps emanating for the next one and half hour.”
In 2015, the National Green Tribunal had banned stubble burning but, officials say, the farmers continue to burn the farm residue, as it is economical. Bhagwan added that the state also imposes fine to deter people from burning stubble, as it adds to pollution.
A study by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center had revealed earlier this year that stubble burning in these states had an adverse impact on the air quality of central and southern India too.

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