INLD opposes govt action against erring farmers

CHANDIGARH: Leader of Opposition in Haryana assembly and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Abhay Chautala on Friday opposed the action being taken by the Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) against farmers for burning stubble in their fields after paddy harvest.

Addressing a press conference here, Abhay alleged that the state government which was already taking various anti-farmer steps had now started imposing a fine of `3,000 per acre for stubble burning.

He also said that it was shocking to note that the state government, which had directed panchayat members to inform it about the stubble burning, had even suspended a woman sarpanch of a village in Kurukshetra for not informing the officials about

an incident of farm fire.

He threatened to launch an agitation if penalty recovered from the farmers would not be returned to them.

“The INLD is against stubble burning as it spreads air pollution.

But since farmers cannot afford to take the alternative method to mechanically remove stubble from their fields as it costs `10,000 per acre, the government should make available straw reaper machines to farmers. The state government has three such machines which have been lying unused as these

had developed technical snags and have not been repaired for years,” he said and added that the INLD MLAs would also raise farmers’ issues in the special assembly session on November 4.

PROTEST IN SIRSA

SIRSA: Hundreds of farmers took to the streets to protest against the state government’s action of imposing fines on those burning crop residue.

The farmers gave an ultimatum to the government to stop imposing fines for stubble burning or get ready to face an agitation.