Punjab farmers to burn straw if not paid for disposal
43 incidents of farm fires detected in state, mostly in Amritsar, Tarn Taran districts, by Punjab Remote Sensing Centre
PATIALA : With the onset of the paddy harvesting season, Punjab is set to face its major problem in burning of paddy straw which draws a massive criticism for the state and its farming community every year.
But the farmer unions in Punjab have announced that they will not bow down under any pressure and will opt for the cheapest way to handle the crop residue until paid for its proper disposal.
Despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s directions against any such move, red dots (farm fires) on Punjab map have started appearing from Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, where harvesting of early sown paddy is going on to clear fields for sowing the potato crop.
Already, 43 such cases have been detected by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.
“Why you expect everything from farmers and that too without paying anything extra? The farmers have no option as neither the Centre nor the state government provide any incentive to them to handle the residue. The government should give Rs 200 per quintal as handling charges as farmers cannot afford it,” said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda).
Manjit Singh, district president of the BKU (Ugarahan), said the farmers will confront the police and officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the agriculture department if they visit villages to stop them from burning stubble.
Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh last week had blamed centre for not announcing incentive to handle paddy straw.