Farm fires: Kurukshetra DC orders FIR against 19 farmers

Kurukshetra: Kurukshetra deputy commissioner (DC) Vishram Kumar Meena has ordered strict action against stubble burning, directing that FIRs be registered against 19 farmers found guilty of setting fire to wheat crop residue after harvest in different parts of the district. DC Meena said that all 19 farmers have also been marked with a "red entry" on the govt's Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal, which will bar them from selling their crops for the next two years. Meena was chairing a review meeting with agriculture department officials on Wednesday. Providing details, DC Meena said that a total of 49 incidents related to suspected stubble burning were reported in the district during the current season. Upon verification, 20 of these locations showed no evidence of burning, while one case involved fire in garbage rather than crop residue. In nine instances, farmers themselves alerted authorities and made efforts to control the fire. However, 19 confirmed cases were identified where farmers deliberately set fire to wheat stubble after harvesting. The DC emphasised that the district administration has undertaken multiple initiatives to curb stubble burning. Village-level committees have been constituted to organise awareness programmes, educating farmers about the environmental damage and legal consequences associated with burning crop residue. These committees are also actively monitoring activities in their respective villages. Additionally, nodal officers have been appointed at the block level, and sub-divisional teams have been formed to ensure regular field inspections and swift response to incidents. Among those present at the meeting were SDM Aman Kumar, deputy director of agriculture Aditya Pratap Dabas, assistant agricultural engineer Rajesh Verma, regional officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board Nitin, along with other officials from concerned departments. Ends MSID:: 130859733 413 |