Punjab farmer demands suitable compensation to stop stubble burning

The Punjab government's ban on farm stubble burning has not deterred farmers in Amritsar from doing the same. They say that burning crop residue is the only viable option in the absence of suitable compensation by the government for managing the space-consuming stubble.

A farmer Gajjan Singh said, "We are forced to burn the stubble. If the government starts giving us compensation for managing stubble, we will not burn the straw."

The farmer, however, pointed out that pollution is being caused due to the growing number of automobiles on roads and emissions from the factories.

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An every year problem

Stubble burning picks up in Punjab and Haryana post-monsoon in the autumn to clear the fields for the summer crop. Smoke from these two states is blamed for dangerous levels of air pollution in the National Capital Region of Delhi. The situation gets worse when thousands of firecrackers burst during the week of Diwali, contributing to even worse levels of pollution.

READ | Stubble Burning Continues In Punjab Despite Government's Pleas

Subsidize farmers to stop stubble burning

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had on Tuesday said that if stubble burning has to be stopped in Punjab, then the Central Government should give Rs 100 extra per quintal on the produce of farmers. "We have deputed officers in every district to control pollution in the State. Punjab's people should think about air pollution," Singh said.

The Supreme Court had on October 14 asked the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to file a status report on the recommendations of a high-level task force on the prevention of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh as the air quality plunged to "very poor" category in Delhi.

Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, addressing a press conference on October 7 noted that the central Government has provided Rs 1150 crore assistance for machines that will allow stubble to be converted to manure.

(With ANI inputs)

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