Bathinda: There is a 60 per cent decrease in cases of stubble burning in Punjab compared to last year. But, of late several such incidents have come to light from the Sangrur district. While the district administration is encouraging farmers to refrain from burning stubble, the latter are demanding Rs 200 per quintal as compensation.
Satellite images of stubble burning from September 15 to November 1 revealed that Sangrur ranks first among the districts in recording the highest number of cases. A total of 1,304 cases of stubble burning have been reported in Sangrur while 23 cases were registered in Rupnagar, 115 in SS Nagar, 55 in Malerkotla during this period.
The district administration has urged farmers to refrain from setting fire to the stubble and called them to a meeting. On the other hand, farmers are demanding Rs 200 per quintal for helping them to collect the stubble from the fields and manage it properly.
Stubble burning is considered to be the major cause of pollution in Punjab. Shingara Singh, district block president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, said if the stubble burning issue is to be eradicated then the government should provide good seeds and pesticides to the farmers.
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Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Pare said that the area where stubble burning occurs does not alone become polluted but vast areas are hit as pollutants are carried by the wind. He said that compared to last year, 60 percent lesser cases of stubble burning have been reported this time.
He said that sometimes the waste left behind in the field after managing the straw is set on fire by the farmers and this gets captured by the satellite. Fortunately there has been a decrease in cases of stubble burning than before, he added.
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