Stubble burning: Bihar plans to ‘name and shame’ violators - Hindustan Times
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Stubble burning: Bihar plans to ‘name and shame’ violators

Nov 12, 2021 10:47 PM IST

PATNA In a bid to discourage the practice of stubble burning during the upcoming harvesting season for kharif crops, the Bihar government has decided to “name and shame” violators and has made it mandatory for farmers hiring combine harvestor machines to furnish an affidavit that they would not burn crop residue in their fields, officials familiar with the matter said

PATNA

In Bihar, stubble burning in districts of Kaimur, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Buxar, Nawada and parts of north Bihar has become common over the last few years owing to large-scale use of combine harvestors, the machines that harvest grains in a fast manner, leaving high density of crop residue. (PTI)
In Bihar, stubble burning in districts of Kaimur, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Buxar, Nawada and parts of north Bihar has become common over the last few years owing to large-scale use of combine harvestors, the machines that harvest grains in a fast manner, leaving high density of crop residue. (PTI)

In a bid to discourage the practice of stubble burning during the upcoming harvesting season for kharif crops, the Bihar government has decided to “name and shame” violators and has made it mandatory for farmers hiring combine harvestor machines to furnish an affidavit that they would not burn crop residue in their fields, officials familiar with the matter said.

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On Friday, all district magistrates in the state were given detailed instructions on management of crop residue during the harvesting season ahead of rabi crop by development commissioner Amir Subhani and state’s agriculture secretary N Saravana Kumar.

“Stubble burning causes air pollution and soil erosion. This time, we will be strict in our approach towards use of combine harvestors by farmers,” said Kumar.

He said farmers hiring combine harvestors and those driving it would also have to get prior permission from the districts administration.

In Bihar, stubble burning in districts of Kaimur, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Buxar, Nawada and parts of north Bihar has become common over the last few years owing to large-scale use of combine harvestors, the machines that harvest grains in a fast manner, leaving high density of crop residue.

Officials say farmers using these machines resort to stubble burning to clean up the crop residue fast so that they can sow their next crop , which leads to high pollution levels and decline in soil quality.

Among other steps to be taken to deter farmers from burning stubble are monitoring of farm fires through satellite images on a real-time basis. “ We are procuring satellite images of farm fires on real time basis from the state pollution control board and remote sensing agency, which are being shared with district agricultural officers and DMs,” said another senior official.

Sources said the agriculture department is also planning “naming and shaming” of farmers found engaged in stubble burning by putting their names and pictures at the panchayat bhawans, besides stopping their farm incentives through direct benefit transfer( DBT) for three years.

Over the last few years, the agriculture department has been pursuing the policy of stopping DBTs to farmers caught in burning stubble.

From 2019 to 2021, registration of 2,347 farmers have been blocked for DBT facility in 22 districts, as per latest data of the agricultural department.

In Friday’s meeting, DMs were also asked to engage anganwaadi workers, Jeevika volunteers and those associated with rural employment guarantee programme MGNREGA to create awareness on the ill-effects of stubble burning among farmers in the rural areas.

Fighting farm fires

Farm incentives through direct benefit transfer will be blocked for three years

Names and pictures of violators will be put up at panchayat bhawans

Monitoring of farm fires through satellite images on a real-time basis

Farmers hiring combine harvestors to swear not to burn crop residue in fields

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    A journalist for 21 years, Anirban covers RJD, legislature and government beats. Has extensive experience in covering elections and writes regularly on finance, land reforms, registration, excise and socio-economic issues.

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