Despite ban, stubble burning goes unchecked in Amritsar

Even as the government has been taking measures to curb the problem of burning of paddy straw and stubble in the open fields after harvesting of paddy or basmati, the practice still continues in Amritsar.

Even as the government has been taking measures to curb the problem of burning of paddy straw and stubble in the open fields after harvesting of paddy or basmati, the practice still continues in Amritsar. However, the agriculture department claims that the situation is better than previous years.

Stubble being burnt at Dauke village near Attari, 25 km from Amritsar, on Wednesday. (HT File Photo)

Keeping in view the health hazards and deterioration of environment and the agriculture department of Punjab, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has been undergoing the PR-exercise since many years to create awareness about the dire consequences of the practice. Apart from this, district magistrate imposes a ban on this under Section 144 of the CrPC every year.

After harvesting of paddy and PUSA-1509 variety of the basmati, farmers indulge in stubble burning which deteriorates the atmosphere manifold.

Besides suggesting them to take help of various machines including happy seader, paddy straw chopper, paddy straw bailor and Malchor machine, the agriculture department is advising farmers to dispose of the waste by reaping and mixing it with soil.

The officials of the agriculture department claimed that the farmers have become aware of the dire consequences of the practice to large extent, but admitted that the awareness is not yielding requisite result as it has failed to gain a practical shape.

They said the farmers alone cannot be blamed for the problem as the government could not provide them quick and cheap alternative of the disposing of the stubble. “If the government is sincere to fix this problem, it will have to find some other way out,” an official said while speaking to HT.

He insisted that eco-friendly solution of the problem takes time and capital, but the crisis-ridden farmer is not able to afford this. “Until or unless the farmers are provided any concrete solution, all the efforts of carrying out awareness would continue to go in vain,” he added.

He suggested that if the farmers are given incentives for not burning of stubble, the problem can be curbed to a great extent.

Echoing the same, Tajinderpal Singh, a farmer from Rasoolpur village said, “Many farmers do not want to burn the waste of crop, but they are helpless in the absence of a good alternative, which the government should provide.”