- By Mayukh Debnath
- Fri, 18 Oct 2024 05:22 PM (IST)
- Source:ANI
Haryana Stubble Burning: Farmers in Haryana who indulge in stubble burning shall be booked and their farm records marked with a 'red entry' in accordance with Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM's) directions, the state agriculture department noted in a circular.
"As per the directions of CAQM, FIR should be registered against all the Farmers who burn or have burnt paddy crop residue during the current season i.e. from 15.09.2024 and prosecution be made in the relevant act," said the communique dated October 17 (Thursday).
The circular further instructed the relevant authorities to mark the farm records of erring farmers with 'red entry', which will temporarily restrict them from selling their produce in 'mandis' through the e-kharid portal.
"Red entry should be made in MFMB record of farmers who are found involved in paddy crop residue burning. Provision for the same has already been given in Deputy Director of Agriculture login. It will restrict the farmers to sell their crops in the Mandis through e-kharid portal during the next two seasons. This entry is mandatory and must be completed promptly for all agricultural fires. All Khasras & farmers having agricultural fires must be tagged in the login provided," it stated.
Farmers who burn stubble an FIR should be registered against them and a Red entry should be made in their farm records restricting them from selling their crops in Mandis through the e-Kharid portal during the next two seasons, says the Department of Agriculture, Haryana pic.twitter.com/3wm3Jstatn
— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2024
The circular came a day after the Supreme Court summoned the chief secretaries of Haryana and Punjab and asked them to explain the absence of lgal action on stubble burning in their respective states. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Augustine George Masih slammed both the states while noting that not a single prosecution had taken place against stubble burning incidents.
This came as part of a hearing related to air pollution in Delhi. "Why states are shying of prosecuting people for stubble burning and letting go of people with nominal fine," the bench asked while expressing severe disapproval over the lack of proper legal action.
While noting that the Haryana government was only imposing nominal fines against those engaging in stubble burning, the apex court had said, "You are just taking a nominal fine only. ISRO is telling you location where fire was taking place and you say that you do not find anything. 191 cases of breach and only nominal fine taken. Absolute defiance of direction by Commission under Section 12 of Commission of Air Quality Management in NCT region Act 2021. Complete defiance by Haryana."
(With inputs from ANI)
