SATISH HANDA
All grain markets in Haryana state are packed with arrival of paddy crop at present. Lots of controversy was seen in past years as regard burning of crop remains in open spreading pollution due to smoke very harmful for health of residents in the area as well as adjoining states. Information reveals, nearly 90% relief has been seen in this regard at present when harvesting of paddy crop is going on as compared to previous years. According to state government information, only 24 cases of burning crop wastes in open has been recorded so far during present year as against 160 cases of burning crop remains in open during last year in this period as such drastic drop in burning cases has been recorded during current.
Information reveals, as many as 237 cases of burning crop remains has been recorded so far in neighbouring Punjab state, which are nearly ten times higher than the crop remains burning cases in Haryana state. Information also reveals, Punjab state had recorded 1603 crop remain burning cases in the year 2020. According to available data, out of total number of 24 crop remains burning cases in Haryana state so far this year include 13 cases in Kurukshetra district, 5 cases in Karnal district, 2 cases in Kaithal Yamunanagar district and one case each in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Sonepat and Fatehabad district. When having a look at the previous year 152 crop remains burning cases were reported in Haryana state which included 22 cases in Ambala district, 46 cases in Karnal district, 31 cases in Kurukshetra district, 21 cases in Kaithal district, 15 cases in Fatehabad district, 10 cases in Yamunanagar district, 6 cases in Panipat district, and one case in Sirsa district.
As regard burning cases identified so far in Punjab this year, Amritsar district leads with 161 cases followed by Tarantaran district having 34 crop remains burning cases, Ludhiana district having 19 cases, Patiala district having 11 cases , Faridkot district having 9 cases, Jalandhar district having 6 cases, Ferozpur district having 5 cases, Sangrur and gurdaspur district each having 4 cases, Kapurthala district having 2 cases and Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Muktsar, Rup Nagar and SAS Nagar having one case each.
Dr Sumita Misra Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Haryana told that state government has approved budget worth Rs 250 crore to control illegal burning of crop remains in open. She said, subsidy on purchase of agriculture machineryto destroy crop remains will be given to the farmers, besides Haryana state government is also paying Rs 1000 each acre land to the farmers towards management of crop remains and those violating directions and burning crop remains in open are being fined Rs 5000.
