10 FARMERS BOOKED FOR STUBBLE BURNING IN FEROZEPUR; 23 INCIDENTS REPORTED TILL OCTOBER 21

Vikram Ditya Sharama /Ferozepur

 The district administration has intensified its crackdown on stubble burning, with police registering 10 cases against farmers for setting paddy residue on fire. Despite efforts to sensitise farmers and prevent such incidents, 23 cases of stubble burning had been reported in the district till October 21.

ADC (D) Krishan Pal Rajput said 14 incidents had been reported earlier, while nine more came to light subsequently. Police have registered cases in seven of the recent incidents, while the remaining cases are being examined. Three cases had already been registered earlier, taking the total to 10.

He said the administration was keeping a close watch on stubble-burning incidents and warned that violators would face fines and red entries in their land records.

It is pertinent to mention here that senior officials including DC Deepshikha Sharma, ADC Rajput and subdivision-level officials have been visiting fields to sensitise farmers against burning paddy residue. Officials have also been reaching the fields to help extinguish fires.

Police have registered cases in several villages across the district. In Wahageke village, Harbans Singh and his sister Jaswinder Kaur were booked for allegedly setting fire to stubble on their land. In Machhiwara village, a case was registered against an unidentified person.

In Chugtewala village, Sheetal Singh was booked, while Surjit Kaur of Lakha Bhedian village was also named in a case for allegedly burning stubble on her fields.

In Sande Hasham village, Gurdeep Singh was booked on the statement of a cluster officer. In Changali Qadim village, cases were registered against Swaran Singh and Jangir Singh on the statement of an official of the Water Resources Department.

Gurdas Singh was also booked for allegedly setting fire to stubble in agricultural fields in the Dona Bahadurke area.

The administration has urged farmers to avoid burning paddy residue and instead use available machinery and alternative methods for its management. The drive aims to curb air pollution and protect the environment during the paddy harvesting season.