Chandigarh, 20 October 2024: To combat stubble burning, the Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Department has prohibited 38 farmers from selling their crops during the next two procurement seasons. This measure follows a recent directive from the department’s Director, mandating authorities to implement stringent actions against those found burning crop residue. A red entry has been marked in the ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ (MFMB) records of these farmers, effectively preventing them from selling their produce through the e-Kharid portal, which guarantees procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
The circular pointed the necessity of strict action, including the filing of FIRs against farmers engaged in stubble burning and the marking of their records to bar them from the procurement process for two seasons. It also warned of repercussions for government officials who fail to prevent such incidents.
“We have already registered nine FIRs, and following the Director’s directions, red entries have been marked in the MFMB records of the farmers,” said Dr. Wazir Singh, Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) in Karnal.
According to satellite data, 67 active fire locations (AFLs) have been reported to date, with 10 cases not found and another 10 classified as accidental fire incidents. One case was reported outside the district. A total of 39 farmers have been fined Rs 1,07,500 for breaching stubble burning regulations.
In the Karnal tehsil area, fines have been distributed as follows: Rs 27,500 imposed on 11 farmers, Rs 22,500 on eight farmers in the Indri tehsil area, Rs 7,500 on two farmers in the Nilokheri tehsil, Rs 30,000 on 11 farmers in Gharaunda, Rs 2,500 on one farmer in Ballah, Rs 7,500 on two farmers in Assandh, and Rs 10,000 on four farmers in Nissing, according to the DDA.
Dr. Singh stated, “We have expanded our teams to 550 members, including employees from agriculture, revenue, and panchayat departments, to monitor stubble burning cases and raise awareness among farmers.” Karnal Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh also indicated that strict actions would be taken against officials found negligent in preventing stubble burning incidents.
