Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Breaking: Moga DC issues show cause notice to PCS-level officers over stubble burning
Taking incidents of stubble burning seriously, show cause notices were issued to two SDMs, one BDPO, and two SHOs.
Control rooms established at the sub-division level to manage incidents of stubble burning
Babushahi Bureau
Moga, November 3, 2024: - To completely stop the incidents of stubble burning in Moga district, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal has taken a strict stance.
Adhering to a zero-tolerance policy, show cause notices have been issued not only to nodal officers, cluster officers, and SHO-level officials but also to PCS-level and Block Development and Panchayat Officer-level officials.
Deputy Commissioner Mr. Vishesh Sarangal informed that the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Ludhiana, has reported 105 cases in Moga district so far, 87 of which involved fire incidents, while 18 did not. He said that FIRs have been registered against 61 individuals, and red entries have been made in their land records.
Additionally, fines totaling 1,72,500 rupees have been imposed on the concerned farmers. Some officials in areas where fire incidents have occurred have also received show cause notices.
These officials include SDM Moga Mr. Sarangpreet Singh Aujla, SDM Baghapurana Beant Singh Sidhu, BDPO Nihal Singh Wala Mrs. Rupinder Kaur, SHO Baghapurana Jas warinder Singh, SHO Dharamkot Jatinder Singh, Cluster Officer Sukhwinder Singh Tehsil Moga, Cluster Officer Manmohan Singh Tehsil Moga, Nodal Officer Prabhdeep Singh Village Bhinder Kalan Tehsil Dharamkot, Nodal Officer Rakesh Kumar Village Umerpura Tehsil Dharamkot, Nodal Officer Rakesh Kumar Village Kishanpura Kalan Tehsil Dharamkot, Nodal Officer Sanjeevan Kumar Village Gill Tehsil Baghapurana, Nodal Officer Pargatjeet Singh Village Kishanpura Kalan Tehsil Dharamkot, Nodal Officer Balwinder Singh Tehsil Nihal Singh Wala, Nodal Officer Davinder Singh Tehsil Nihal Singh Wala, and Nodal Officer Tehsil Moga Jagsir Singh.
Legal action has been initiated under Section 14(1) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital and Adjoining Areas Act against Nodal Officer Pargatjeet Singh, Village Kishanpura Kalan, Tehsil Dharamkot, in the CJM court of Moga. If convicted, the offender may face a fine of one crore rupees, five years of imprisonment, or both.
He mentioned that in Moga district, intensive efforts are being made to prevent stubble burning after paddy harvest as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal and Punjab Pollution Control Board. Teams are constantly monitoring villages, and both he and SSP Mr. Ajay Gandhi are keeping an eye on incidents by visiting the field themselves. Alongside legal action and fines against violators, a mass awareness campaign is ongoing across the district. The agriculture department is continuously educating farmers about environmental conservation and the benefits of incorporating stubble into the soil.
He added that the Punjab government has provided 7,401 agricultural machines on subsidy to panchayats, cooperative societies, and private individuals for stubble management, with lists and QR codes available at the village level. Any needy person can use this machinery for stubble management.
Furthermore, he mentioned that during the paddy season, 146 nodal officers under the supervision of 23 cluster officers have been deployed to prevent fire incidents and raise awareness. These officers act immediately upon receiving information about any fire incidents. The Super SMS technology has been made mandatory for harvest combines.
Dputy Commissioner Mr. Vishesh Sarangal stated that all combines are required to harvest with Super SMS, and so far, no machine has been found without it during checks. He assured that the district administration and Punjab government are fully supporting farmers with stubble management. However, strict action is being taken against those who still resort to burning. He advised farmers to avoid burning stubble to prevent legal consequences. Any farmer who burns stubble has red entries recorded in their land registry, and fines are imposed.
Control Rooms Established at Sub-Division Level
The Punjab government, under Section 19(5) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, has banned the burning of crop residue across the state. Complying with the orders of the National Green Tribunal, the district administration of Moga is making every effort to enforce these guidelines, deploying 146 nodal officers and 23 cluster officers to monitor and act on stubble burning incidents. Control rooms have been established at each sub-division level to facilitate timely information dissemination and response to any reported incidents. These control rooms will also provide information on the availability of stubble management machinery through their designated numbers. Police officers, cooperation department officials, and other staff have been assigned to these control rooms to ensure swift action.
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted that these control rooms will inform farmers about machinery available for stubble management.