BATHINDA: Farmers agitated over compensation issue on Tuesday burnt paddy residue over four acres of fields in Bhainibagha village of Mansa district.

Moreover, the members of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) have threatened to continue burning crop residue if a bonus Rs 200 per quintal on paddy or Rs 6,000 per acre was not given and free machinery was not provided to them for managing the stubble. The activists burnt the paddy straw in the fields of farmer Bahal Singh.

Farmer body’s Mansa unit chief Ram Singh Bhainibagha said, “We do not want to burn stubble, but we have no other option as we have to shell out money in managing the stubble. If the government provides us resources or the machinery required for the same, we will stop the practice. If they don’t, we will burn crop residue collectively in larger area even if the cases are registered against us.”

Till now,

was more prevalent in the Majha region of Punjab, but now similar cases have started to pile up in

region too. This is expected to rise further as now harvesting of paddy has picked up pace in the state.