Help farmers or face contempt, Punjab told

NGT raps State government over stubble burning issue

To go with Climate-warming-UN-COP21-India,FOCUS by Trudy Harris
 In this November 6, 2015 photo, an Indian farmer feeds a controlled fire of spent rice stalks as he prepares the field for a new crop in the southeastern part of the state of Punjab, some 120 km north of New Delhi. India's capital, with 18 million residents, has the world's most polluted air with six times the amount of small particulate matter (pm2.5) than what is considered safe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The air's hazardous amount of pm2.5 can reach deep into the lungs and enter the blood, causing serious long term health effect, with the WHO warning India has the world's highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases. India, home to 13 of the world's top 20 polluted cities, is also the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind the United States and China. In Delhi, the air pollution is due to vehicle traffic including cargo trucks running on low-grade diesel, individual fires that residents burn in winter, crop being burnt by farmers in neighboring states, and construction site dust. Burning coal in power plants is also major contributor that is expected to increase hugely in the coming decades to match electricity needs of the ever-growing city and its booming satellite towns. AFP PHOTO / ROBERTO SCHMIDT

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday rapped the Punjab government for not cooperating with the farmers on the stubble burning issue. The Tribunal has now directed the Punjab government to bring before it the 21 farmers, whom the government claims to have helped in dealing with the crop residue.

Priority cases

Coming down heavily on the counsel appearing for the State of Punjab’s Agriculture Department, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said: “These cases are to be done on priority. Either you help them or face contempt of court.”

The Bench repeatedly asked the State to present before the Tribunal a report of the steps that had been taken by it to help the farmers. “Why do you not help them? Their harvesting schedules are time-bound. You cannot expect the farmers to keep the crop residue for months at end. Why is there so much of dissatisfaction among the farmers and what is the reason behind the distrust between them and the government?” asked the Bench.

Anusha Rangrajan, the counsel appearing for the agriculture department told the Tribunal that efforts had been made to help farmers of Kalar Majri village in Patiala district’s Nabha.

Responding to the claims, the green Bench directed the presence of the 21 farmers before the Tribunal. “Call all 21 farmers whose residue crops you have satisfactorily put in the soil. Consequences will be serious if it is found that these people are posed,” said the Bench.

Incentives to farmers

While pronouncing the order, the green panel said, “The Station House Officer (SHO) of Kalar Majri is directed to ensure that all the 21 farmers that have been spoken about by the State government are brought to the Tribunal.”

The farmers have been asked to be present before the Tribunal on Friday. Earlier, the NGT had pulled up the Punjab government for not providing enough incentives to the farmers to stop burning crop stubble, which results in severe air pollution every year.