Haryana govt intensifies drive against stubble burning ahead of harvest season

Chandigarh, Sep 29 (PTI) The Haryana government has intensified its drive against paddy stubble burning ahead of the peak harvest season, with Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi here on Monday chairing a comprehensive review meeting on the implementation of the state action plan for crop residue management (CRM).

The chief secretary directed all departments to ensure 100 per cent compliance with the action plan and reiterated the government's zero-tolerance policy towards farm fires.

He underscored that protecting air quality is not only vital for Haryana but also for the entire National Capital Region (NCR).

During the meeting, officials from the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department said that three cases of stubble burning have been reported this season from Fatehabad, Jind, and Kurukshetra.

FIRs have been registered in all incidents, and "red entries" have been marked in the land records of the concerned farmers. Additionally, environmental compensation (EC) charges have been imposed, an official statement said.

Further, the department has cautioned that strict punitive measures will follow in the event of any future violations.

Reiterating the government's commitment to strict enforcement to deter farm fires effectively, Rastogi also directed all deputy commissioners to personally monitor preparations in their respective districts and ensure that preventive measures are fully operational before harvesting peaks.

Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Pankaj Agarwal stated during the meeting that 5.65 lakh farmers have registered for crop residue management, covering a massive 39.33 lakh acres of paddy area.

The top five districts by registered acreage are Karnal (4.69 lakh acres), Kaithal (4.34 lakh acres), Sirsa (3.70 lakh acres), Fatehabad (3.61 lakh acres), and Jind (3.56 lakh acres).

The chief secretary also directed officials to ensure the mapping of each farm in all villages so that specific modes of stubble management -- ”whether crop diversification, in-situ incorporation, ex-situ use as fodder, or supply to industries -- ”are properly assigned and implemented.

Reiterating the government's commitment to supporting farmers, Rastogi said Haryana is not only subsidizing the purchase of CRM machines but also making them available through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) for small and marginal farmers.

He stressed that district authorities must ensure optimal utilization of machines, monitor availability at CHCs, and extend maximum support during peak harvesting periods.

This year alone, incentives worth Rs 471.96 crore have been sanctioned, providing farmers with Rs 1,200 per acre to adopt sustainable residue management practices, the statement said.

The meeting reviewed the functioning of the Agriculture Department portal and the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' system, which are playing a key role in registration, booking of machines, disbursal of incentives, and real-time data reporting.

To ensure better outreach, nodal officers have been assigned to groups of farmers, with each officer responsible for a maximum of 50 farmers in the red and yellow zones and 100 farmers in green zone areas.

This structure allows for closer monitoring, timely advisories, and effective handholding. A dedicated Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) has also been set up to track district-level progress and resolve farmer issues on priority, the statement said.

Director, Agriculture, Rajnarayan Kaushik said a multi-departmental 'Parali Protection Force' has been constituted across several districts.

This task force comprises police personnel, agriculture officials, and administrative officers who will monitor fields and prevent stubble burning.

Special focus has been placed on intensified evening patrolling, as some farmers attempt to burn stubble late in the night to evade satellite detection, the statement said.

Control rooms at both the state and district levels have also been set up to receive and address complaints, including those made via social media.

The chief secretary highlighted the importance of building a robust ex-situ supply chain by linking farmers with industries such as biomass plants, briquetting units, and the Haryana Power Generation Corporation.

Online platforms are being used to directly connect farmers with industrial buyers to ensure smooth transactions.

To strengthen infrastructure, the state has identified 249 acres of panchayat land across key districts for storage of paddy straw bales. These depots will prevent losses due to fire hazards and ensure uninterrupted supply for industrial use, the statement said. PTI SUN KVK KVK