Good news for Delhi: Stubble burning cases have fallen to 2,300 in 2023, says Haryana State Pollution Control Board

On the ongoing stubble burning issue in Haryana and Punjab, Haryana State Pollution Control Board Secretary Pradeep Kumar said on Tuesday that the cases of stubble burning reduced from 7,000 in 2023 to 2,300 in 2021.

Speaking to ANI, Kumar said "In 2021, there were around 7,000 cases of stubble burning which has now reduced to 2,300 in 2023. Farmers are being encouraged and nodal officers are monitoring the situation to decrease the cases."

Further, Kumar said that the harvesting takes place in two phases-early and late after which the stubble burning takes place. "Some regions have early harvesting and some have late harvesting. After that, they do the stubble burning. There are several policies through which farmers are being encouraged to not indulge in stubble burning. At times, fines are also imposed if the farmers are caught indulged in stubble burning," he added. Meanwhile, on October 21, the Punjab farmers urged the government to find a permanent solution for the stubble burning and claimed burning the stubble was their compulsion.

This follows an incident of stubble burning reported in Nehian Wala village, Bathinda, Punjab, on Sunday evening. Speaking to ANI, farmer Ram Singh, expressed his concerns, and said, "The government should find a permanent solution so that the incidents of stubble burning can be reduced. Burning stubble is our compulsion. The government is not giving any solution; rather, cases are being registered against the farmers. They always blame the farmers for pollution. Are there no factories and industries in Delhi and Punjab? Are they not contributing to pollution?"

To stop farmers from burning stubble, the Haryana state government, in an official order, stated that as per the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), FIRs should be registered against all farmers who burn or have burnt paddy crop residue during the current season, starting from September 15. "A red entry should be made in the Meri Fasal Mera Bayora (MFMB) record of farmers found involved in paddy crop residue burning, which will restrict them from selling their crops in the markets through the e-Kharid portal during the next two seasons," said a notice by the Haryana government.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)