Farm fires surge, 175 FIRs registered in a day in Punjab
Punjab Police registered 175 FIRs for stubble burning in a day, totaling 2,518 this season, amid efforts to combat environmental pollution.
With no let-up in farm fire incidents, Punjab Police on Monday registered 175 FIRs, the highest in a single day this kharif season. As many as 256 new cases of stubble burning were reported, taking the state’s tally to 2,518 incidents this season so far. On the same date last year, the state had recorded 216 cases. The number was 1,551 in 2023.
The state police have already launched crackdown against the farmers as 765 FIRs have been registered under Section 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The number of FIRs registered last year was 5,783. As many as 1,144 FIRs were registered in 2023 and only 44 FIRs in 2022. Under the newly constituted Parali Protection Force, the state police have constituted 862 teams, comprising around 1,700 personnel, to keep round-the-clock vigil in order to prevent stubble burning. Nearly 550 inspector and sub-inspector level officers have been coordinating with local administration officials to monitor fields, persuade farmers and take punitive action against violators.
“The cases have been registered against the repeat offenders, who continue to set paddy leftover ablaze despite stringent directives from the state government. We have clear cut directions from the senior officials to take punitive action against the defaulters,” said one of the senior officials.
On Monday, 105 “red entries” were marked in the revenue records of farmers, while environmental compensation worth ₹5.15 lakh was imposed in 92 fresh cases.
This season, the state agencies have imposed ₹52.75 lakh as environment compensation in 1,009 cases, of which ₹23.65 lakh was recovered. The red entries were made in 946 cases.
Meanwhile, a thick layer of smog continued to cover parts of Punjab, resulting in a dip in the air quality levels. Khanna remained the most polluted with an AQI of 253, followed by Patiala 250, Ludhiana 245, Mandi Gobindgarh 230, Jalandhar 228, Bathinda 157 Amritsar 121 and Rupnagar 95.
31 booked in Ferozepur
The Ferozepur police have booked 31 farmers for putting paddy straw on fire. violating government and administrative orders by setting fire to paddy residue after harvest. Officials said the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) issued multiple fire alerts from different villages across the district following which the action was taken.
In the Guru Har Sahai subdivision, 12 persons from Laipo, Dona Bahadarke, Panje Ke Utar and nearby villages were among those booked. In Zira and Makhu areas, 19 farmers were booked. Deputy commissioner Deep Shikha chaired a review meeting during which she directed field officers to intensify monitoring. She said farmers should use super seeders and balers to manage stubble.
