Farmers In Punjab Continue To Burn Stubble

Farmers continue to burn stubble in their fields in Verka here.

Speaking to ANI, a farmer said, “Punjab Chief Minister and DC Amritsar had promised Rs 2,500 per acre as compensation but I did not get it and that is why due to compulsion I am burning stubble.”

After early burning of crop residue was brought to notice on Tuesday, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) wrote to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the situation and take action.

Bhure Lal, chairman, EPCA had told ANI, “We have written to chief secretaries of all the three states to take stock of the situation and start acting. We have asked them to implement the Supreme Court’s order which is a state’s responsibility.”

“We have been monitoring the subsidies paid by Central government to procure tools and implement to enable the farmers and the societies at the Panchayat level to give it a proper shape for commercialisation,” added Lal.

EPCA also asked the chief secretaries to use their village level bodies to ensure that stubble burning does not take place.

Chief secretaries have also been requested to set up a control room in which directions can be issued and actions can be taken both for ensuring that the machineries are within reach of the farmers as well ensuring enforcement of the non-compliance that is reported from the field. (ANI)