'Factories not causing pollution?': Farmers slam stubble burning penalty

Farmer leaders on Monday said they are burning paddy stubble out of compulsion and blamed the government for not finding a sustainable solution to the crisis that amplifies Delhi's pollution load every winter.

Expressing his concerns, Ram Singh, a farmer said, “The government should find a permanent solution so that the incidents of stubble burning can be reduced. Burning stubble is our compulsion. The government is not giving any solution; rather, cases are being registered against the farmers. They always blame the farmers for pollution. Are there no factories and industries in Delhi and Punjab? Are they not contributing to pollution?”.

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To discourage stubble burning, the Haryana government in an official order directed the registration of FIRs on all farmers who burn or have burnt paddy crop residue during the current season, starting from September 15.

The government also mandated making entries in red in the Meri Fasal Mera Bayora record of those stubble burning farmers, which will restrict selling crops through the e-Kharid portal for the next two seasons.

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Farmer leader Suresh Koth in Ambala said registration of FIRs and imposition of strict penalties on farmers for paddy stubble burning could incite further unrest among farmers. Koth said that the farmers are already angry on the denial to procure crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Koth voiced frustration with the administration alleging that stubble management machines have not been provided in every village to help with stubble management.

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“The farmers' contribution to pollution is just 3 to 4 percent. The major amount of pollution is because of industries and vehicles. We urge the government not to show so much dictatorship towards the farmers. Wherever farmers have not been provided with machines, stubble burning is taking place. Huge amounts of money are sent from the World Bank for machines, which is not given to the farmers. This dictatorship will not be tolerated by the farmers. We will not pay a single penny as a penalty,” Koth added.