Out to encourage farmers to refrain from stubble burning, the Punjab assembly will honour those shunning the practice.
The recognition, according to Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, is aimed at acknowledging their commitment to larger public interests and environmental concerns.
It may be noted that Punjab has been under fire for being unable to check stubble burning which is being blamed for poor air quality in Delhi NCR and Haryana.
‘Special events to honour the farmers’
The Speaker said, “Those, who did not set crop residue on fire, were making a constructive contribution to save the environment from different sorts of pollution, human health from hazardous diseases and fertility of soil in the fields.”
“State government appreciated the contribution of such farmers to contain the air and other pollution arising due to farm fires. The Punjab government has decided to appreciate these farmers in all the districts. Officials of the agriculture department would compile the lists of such farmers to extend a special appreciation to them,” he added.
He further added that with the help of the agriculture and other departments, special events will be organised across the state to honour the farmers shunning farm fires besides appreciating them in the Vidhan Sabha.
He called upon the farmers to take the message against farm fires to their villages to motivate others to follow in their footsteps. The speaker also appealed to the farmers to plant maximum saplings in their areas to further expand green cover to ensure a clean, green and pollution-free environment.
He also motivated the farmers to sow the wheat crop with the help of machines.
Also read: Only 18 FIRs so far against stubble burning, says Punjab
Supreme Court’s order
Meanwhile, it may be noted that following the Supreme Court’s rap, Punjab police have so far registered FIRs against 932 farmers for burning stubble. A fine of ₹1.67 crore was also imposed in 7,405 cases.
The police claim that there has been a decrease in the cases of stubble burning in the last two days. On Sunday and Saturday, 740 and 637 farm fire cases were registered in the state. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav reviewed the situation of stubble burning in the state.
Yadav said that senior police officers were holding daily meetings with range officers, CP’s/SSP’s and station commanders. The police said that 1072 flying groups are monitoring stubble burning and 2189 meetings have been held in the last eleven days to sensitize farmers.
Special DGP Arpit Shukla visited a few districts regarding stubble burning problems. Red alert has been issued in all the districts of the state and special orders have been issued to the officials regarding cases of stubble burning.
