Facing criticism by the Supreme Court, district officials in western Uttar Pradesh are cracking down on farmers indulging in stubble burning and polluting factories. On Friday, the Mathura administration imposed a fine of ₹12. 42 lakh on 288 farmers for stubble burning in Chhata area of the district.
Dhurendra Singh, Deputy Director, Agriculture said that though the numbers had come down since last year, stubble burning was still a concern in the rice bowl of the district. He said an FIR would be lodged against any repeat offenders.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration booked 12 farmers in Dadri area of the district just four days after 10 farmers were booked and fined ₹35,000 in Jewar area of Greater Noida. In both the cases, FIRs have been registered against farmers under Sections 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 290 (public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 291 of the IPC.
In Bulandshahr, district magistrate Ravindra Kumar sealed three factories in the Sikandrabad Industrial Area for burning tyres for generating oil. An FIR has been lodged against Someshwar Alloys Private Limited, R.V. Industries, and A.S. Enterprises.
Additional District Magistrate Manoj Kumar Singhal said that since Deepavali, 437 cases of pollution, including 36 cases of stubble burning have come to light. During this period, 54 factories, brick kilns, and pottery units have also been sealed for violating the guidelines of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. A fine of ₹9,42,000 has been imposed and 19 FIRs have been lodged, he said in a statement.
Dharmendra Malik, senior leader of Bhartiya Kisan Union, said fining farmers was not a permanent solution to the problem. “A farmer doesn’t want to add to pollution but he has no other option. The government should pay ₹3,000 per acre to the farmer. The stubble could also be used for generating biomass energy,” he said, adding that in many cases the fine remains on paper as farmers were not in a condition to pay it.
