Haryana making extensive efforts towards stubble management says govt

Chandigarh, Nov 11 (PTI) The Haryana government on Wednesday said it is making extensive efforts to promote crop residue management and protect the environment across the state.

     According to an official statement issued late Wednesday evening, 206 fire incidents have been reported across 23 districts of the state this season so far, of which crop residue burning has been confirmed in 89 cases.

     Along with providing farmers access to modern resources for stubble management, the government is also extending financial incentives to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices, the statement said quoting a government spokesperson.

     In this direction, 13,200 agricultural machines of various types, including super seeders and balers, have been distributed to farmers this year. Subsidies of up to 50 per cent are being provided on the purchase of these machines, the statement said.

     So far, 206 fire incidents have been reported across 23 districts of the state, of which crop residue burning has been confirmed in 89 cases.

     The administration has inspected all 206 locations. Taking action against stubble-burning cases as per the prescribed rules, fines amounting to Rs 3.55 lakh have been imposed through 62 challans, out of which Rs 2.30 lakh has already been recovered.

     In addition, 74 FIRs have been registered, and red entries have been made in the revenue records of the concerned fields in 19 cases.

     The paddy procurement starts on October 1 and the farm fire monitoring begins a few days before that and continues till November end.

     The spokesperson further stated that as per the district-wise data, no incidents of stubble burning have been reported in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Gurugram, Mahendragarh, Nuh and Rewari.

     In Panchkula, one fire incident was reported, but crop residue burning in the field was not confirmed, while six incidents each have been reported in Hisar and Hansi.

     The spokesperson further said that the government has also fixed accountability of officials to strengthen the monitoring mechanism. Show-cause notices have been issued to 109 nodal officers for alleged negligence in the discharge of their duties, ensuring that there is no laxity in the implementation of the stubble management campaign.

     He appealed to farmers to refrain from burning stubble and instead make use of modern agricultural machinery and available government schemes for proper management of crop residue.

     Scientific management of crop residue not only helps maintain soil fertility but also makes a significant contribution towards environmental protection and ensuring clean air, the statement said.

     The spokesperson said farmers adopting crop residue management practices are being given an incentive of Rs 1,200 per acre. Under this scheme, approximately Rs 500 crore will be disbursed to farmers.

     The state government has also strengthened its technology-based monitoring system to prevent incidents of stubble burning. A total of 79 sensors have been installed in hotspot villages, while continuous monitoring is being carried out through 36 drones across various districts.

     Additionally, responsibilities have been assigned to district-level officers to ensure effective monitoring, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)