Appeal to farmers not to burn stubble

Burning stubble is a punishable offense

Indore (Team Newsbuddy) : Currently, the work of harvesting wheat crop is in its final phase. After harvesting, some farmers burn the residue (stubble) of wheat. Burning stubble causes huge damage to the environment, as well as the beneficial microbes of the field soil die. Fertility decreases due to the land getting heated. Therefore, farmers have been appealed not to burn stubble after harvesting wheat. Burning stubble is a punishable offense.

With the aim of curbing pollution caused by burning crop residue, preventing fire accidents and protecting life and property, under the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal, Collector and District Magistrate Ashish Singh has already issued an order and banned the burning of wheat stubble etc. in the district with immediate effect.

Violating the order will lead to action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Also, if someone burns the residue, he will have to pay environmental compensation. It has been clarified in the order that the landholder of less than two acres will have to pay Rs 2500 per incident, the landholder of more than two acres and less than five acres will have to pay Rs 5000 per incident and the landholder of more than five acres will have to pay Rs 15000 per incident as environmental compensation.

Harvester machine operators will have to compulsorily attach straw-reeper (straw making machine) with the harvester for harvesting. If any farmer puts pressure to harvest the crop without straw-reeper, then information about it will have to be given to the concerned police station, village panchayat secretary or village panchayat monitoring officer.

Deputy Director Farmer Welfare and Agricultural Development said that burning of stubble increases acidity in the soil, which causes extreme damage to the soil. The activity of microbes starts decreasing and the water holding capacity of the land is also adversely affected. If straw is made using a straw making machine along with harvesting with a combine harvester, then straw will be available for the animals and better management of crop residues will be possible. Along with this, the fertility of the land will remain intact and the environment will also be safe.