Punjab Pollution Control Board avoids FIRs against farmers amid stir, farmers want all cases junked

PATIALA: Amid the ongoing farmers’ agitation in the state, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has only managed to register around seven cases against farmers compared to 500 the previous year. The board, say officials, has gone slow to avoid angering the agriculturists, who are already on the warpath.
The farm unions are, however, demanding that all FIRs registered against farmers for stubble burning should be cancelled as both the Centre and state governments have failed to provide compensation to farmers for paddy harvesting and they are left with no option but to burn the crop residue.
While last year the PPCB had registered over 500 FIRs against farmers for violating environmental-norms by burning the paddy stubble in 2019, this year it has imposed a fine or environmental compensation amounting to several lakhs on farmers for burning stubble.
Explaining the process, PPCB officials said once farmers are spotted burning crop residue, they are given a week to pay the fine, failing which cases are registered against them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
According to PPCB officials, less than 2% cases had been registered against the farmers due to fear of provoking farmers who were already holding huge protests against the central-government farm enacted laws.
As many as 9,500 cases of stubble burning have come to fore in Punjab since September 21 this year while 1,098 red entries have also been recorded with the revenue department, which may further becomes a hurdle for a farmer to get easy loan from the banks against his land.
The officials of pollution department revealed that Rs 35 lakh in fines have been imposed on farmers in Punjab this year for burning their paddy residue, however only Rs 1 lakh could be recovered.
Punjab government took action against 2,923 farmers after receiving complaints in 20,729 stubble-burning cases in 2019. The enforcement teams imposed environment compensation of Rs 41.62 lakh in 1,585 cases, a red entry was made in khasra girdawari in 1,136 cases and prosecution/FIR was filed in 202 cases against the defaulting farmers.
BKU Ekta Dakaunda general secretary Jagmohan Singh Dakaunda said, "None of the farmers should be prosecuted for burning stubble. Even the cases registered against them for crop fires in the past should be cancelled as farmers do not any other option until they are provided compensation for stubble management."