North News
Chandigarh, October 21
In a bid to combat stubble burning, Punjab Police, in collaboration with the Civil Administration, have initiated a comprehensive campaign aimed at educating farmers about the detrimental effects of burning paddy straw said Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP) Law and Order, Arpit Shukla, on Monday while highlighting that legal action will be taken against those who violate regulations.
The campaign is in line with directives from the Supreme Court and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which mandates a reduction in stubble burning cases to zero. Following these instructions, DGP Gaurav Yadav appointed Spl DGP Arpit Shukla as the Police Nodal Officer responsible for monitoring actions against stubble burning.
Shukla noted that the Punjab DGP has been holding regular meetings with senior officials, including Range Officers, CPs, SSPs, and Station House Officers (SHOs), to review stubble burning cases daily. He emphasized the tireless efforts of police teams working alongside Civil Administration to address the issue.
To facilitate awareness, District Commissioners (DCs), SSPs, Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), and Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) have conducted joint tours in villages identified as hotspots for stubble burning. In recent days, they completed 522 joint tours and 981 tours by SDMs and DSPs, resulting in 2,504 public awareness meetings and 2,457 meetings with farmer unions.
As of now, satellites have detected 1,393 farm fires across the state. Police have registered FIRs in 874 cases; however, no instances of stubble burning were found at 471 locations, with daily diary report (DDR) entries made for these cases. Furthermore, penalties totaling ₹10.55 lakh have been imposed in 397 cases, with red entries recorded in the revenue documents of 394 farmers.
Shukla urged farmers to refrain from burning crop residue, warning that such actions harm the environment and adversely affect the health of vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Additional patrolling parties and flying squads have been deployed to monitor stubble burning activities across various regions.
