In response to mounting pressure from the Supreme Court over its failure to control stubble burning, the Haryana government has issued strict directives to take punitive action against farmers who violate the ban. Officials have been instructed to register FIRs and pursue legal prosecution under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) norms.
According to the new orders issued by the state’s Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, FIRs must be lodged against all farmers who burn paddy crop residue during the current season, starting from September 15. The letter also mandates a “Red Mark Entry” in the farm records of violators, a move aimed at blocking their ability to sell crops in government mandis through the e-Kharid portal for the next two seasons.
“This entry is mandatory for all agricultural fires,” reads the directive, emphasizing that the measure will be strictly enforced. Deputy Directors of Agriculture at district level are responsible for tagging all violators in the system and ensuring compliance.
These tough measures follow just a day after the Supreme Court issued a scathing critique of both the Punjab and Haryana governments for their inability to curb stubble burning, which significantly worsens air quality in the Delhi-NCR region during the winter months.
The court highlighted that while satellite data from ISRO revealed 267 instances of stubble burning, legal action had been taken in just 122 cases. Of these, fines were imposed on only 103 offenders, with just 14 FIRs filed and only five complaints lodged under the Air Act of 1981.
With rising frustration over the lack of enforcement, the Supreme Court has summoned the Chief Secretaries of both Haryana and Punjab to appear on October 23 to explain their continued failure in addressing the issue.
The government’s new stringent measures are seen as a direct response to the court’s intervention, signaling a no-nonsense approach to farmers flouting the stubble-burning ban.
However, the Congress has slammed the government’s directions terming it an attempt to deprive the farmers from getting benefits of MSP. Senior party leader Randeep Surjewala has termed it as a direct conspiracy to dismantle the MSP guarantee stating that what is the logic behind not purchasing crops at MSP for two years, for burning the crop waste.
“the BJP was directly targeting the farmers as the BJP did not get votes from the farmers, he said asking the government to provide the details about the alternatives provided to the farmers for the crop residue management”, he said demanding the government to withdraw the orders immediately.
The farm fires are being given as the biggest reason behind the deteriorating air quality in Delhi and NCR in every winter as the air quality has already slipped into Poor category in Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Noida and Gurugram.