Fields on fire: Farmer activists shout slogans after burning crop residue in Bathinda on Saturday

BATHINDA: Despite the efforts being made to dissuade them, farmers continue to defy ban and put the fields on fire . On Saturday too, paddy stubble was collectively burnt at two villages in Mansa district.

Some farmers even broadcast on social networking sites the act of breaking the law at village Bhamme Khurd. In addition, stubble was also burnt at village Korwala, also situated in the Jhunir block in Mansa. Stubble was burnt on 10 acres in Bhamme Khurd and in 6 acres in Korwala.

Earlier this week, farmers collectively had burnt paddy stubble at village Bhainibagha in Mansa and Jodhpur Pakhar in Bathinda .

Farmer organisation BKU Ekta Ugrahan block Jhunir president Malkit Singh, who led the stubble burning action, said, “Though we do not want to burn stubble but as the Union and state governments have failed to provide any compensation or make available machinery for stubble management, we are forced to act in this way. In coming days, the paddy stubble will be burnt collectively in more villages. The stubble is also being burnt in Bathinda by our local units.”

Over 1,500 incidents of paddy stubble burning have been reported in the state till October 18. Over 50,000 stubble burning incidents were reported in October-November 2018.

The state government has appointed nodal officers in 8000 villages in the state and students from various schools from across the state carried out awareness marches asking farmers not to burn stubble and save environment.

The state government has directed the village panchayats to act against persons burning stubble on community lands and not to lease them lands in future. The state government have also asked government employees having lands not to indulge in the illegal practice. It has offered 50% subsidy on machinery to individual farmers and 80% to those buying it groups. The state agriculture department had extended the date for giving applications for machines till Saturday.

Punjab agriculture secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said the state government has taken numerous steps to prevail upon farmers to not burn the crop residue. “The 24,000 machines will be with the individual farmers or group of farmers before October 31,” he added.

