Punjab Police Takes Action Against Farmers for Stubble Burning Amid Air Quality Concerns

Punjab's Stubble Burning Crisis

Since September 18, the Punjab Police has initiated 12 first information reports (FIRs) against farmers involved in stubble burning, as reported by a local news outlet on Sunday.

According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board, there have been 48 recorded instances of crop residue burning since monitoring commenced on September 15. Notably, 11 of the 12 FIRs were filed in Amritsar.

The police began taking legal action starting Thursday, but no arrests have occurred yet.

This crackdown follows a Supreme Court directive on September 17, which emphasized the need for strict penalties, including potential arrests, to discourage stubble burning among farmers. The court acknowledged the vital role of farmers but insisted that this does not excuse the ongoing practice of stubble burning.

The bench questioned the Punjab government's counsel, asking, “Why not consider implementing penalty provisions? Imprisoning some individuals could convey the right message.”

Farmers often burn leftover crop debris, known as stubble, to clear their fields for the next planting season.

This practice, combined with lower temperatures and reduced wind speeds, significantly contributes to air pollution in Northern India.

The recent FIRs have been filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which addresses disobedience to orders from public officials.

In addition to the FIRs, the state government has recorded 13 ‘red entries’ in the land records of those violating regulations. A ‘red entry’ restricts farmers from selling or mortgaging their land and accessing agricultural loans.

Environmental fines totaling Rs 1.10 lakh have been imposed in 24 cases.

The state has also established a protection force of approximately 8,000 personnel, deployed across 11,624 villages to monitor stubble burning incidents and provide daily updates.

Data from the Punjab Pollution Control Board indicates that Amritsar has experienced 32 stubble burning incidents, while Patiala has reported seven.

Farmer leaders have voiced their disapproval of the government's measures to combat stubble burning.

Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Dakonda, stated, “We vehemently oppose the FIRs and red entries against farmers. The Punjab government should prioritize financial assistance to farmers before taking legal action or altering land records.”

Last year, the state recorded 5,797 FIRs out of a total of 10,909 stubble burning incidents.