It is said the pollution from burning paddy straw is a factor in Delhi’s poor air quality.
Chandigarh: The
burning of paddy straw continues unabated in both Punjab and Haryana
with authorities in both the states unable to check the menace. With the
harvesting season at the fag end, the farmers are now clearing their
fields by burning the paddy straw causing air pollution.
It is said the pollution from burning paddy straw is a factor in Delhi’s poor air quality.
There
is no specific law in Punjab to ban stubble burning. Every Deputy
Commissioner (DC) has the power to impose a ban under section 144 of
Criminal Procedure Act. It’s a common practice in Punjab that every DC
issues order pertaining to this under CrPC 144 just before paddy
harvesting and wheat harvesting season in Punjab asking farmers to
abstain from it but still farmers continue to do so.
DC also has
the power under 188 IPC to punish the violators creating nuisance but
hardly any punishment is given under it in the state. Under the law, a
violator may be punished upto six months jail and a fine of Rs. 1000.
Hardly any action is taken under this law against violators in Punjab.
There’s a lack of ‘political will’ resulting in poor implementation in
the state.
Several types of mechanisms are available now which
can cut the paddy straws into small pieces of one inch each which
ultimately can be converted into manure but farmers do favour this — not
even two per cent of the total area (27 lakh hectares) under paddy and
basmati rice in state sees the practice.
Meanwhile in Haryana,
the environment department had banned the burning of agriculture waste
in the open fields under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act 1981. Till date, prosecution action has been filed against 32
farmers in the special environment courts in Kurukshetra and Faridabad
by the Haryana Pollution Control Board for burning paddy in the open
fields. As per an official of the board, two farmers were recently
convicted by the courts.
It is the legal wrangles that pose a
problem in the implementation of the rules. An official said that every
case has to be sent to the environment court after the board sanctions
approval. This is a lengthy procedure and proves to be a deterrent in
preventing the farmers from burning paddy straw.
Experts say that
implementation is not possible due to the lack of machinery. Between
paddy harvesting and growing of a new crop, farmers get only 15-20 days
and for that a large number of straw chopping machines are required at
low price so that farmers can go for chopping straw instead of burning
the same.
Punjab Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Babu
Ram said that burning straw led to increase in particulate matter (PM)
in the air. He said that there is a very small mixture which may include
acids like sulfates, nitrates, metals. Also oil dust particles cause
health problems like nose, throat, lungs,heart problems. PPCB official
said that the PM level is several times higher than the permissible
limits in Punjab during paddy harvesting season.
Rajesh Kumar
Garhia, Environmental Scientist at Haryana Pollution Control Board says
that Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC) has been asked to conduct
a study on the pollution caused in Haryana due to paddy straw burning
and the extent of the problem. He said that all deputy commissioners
have been asked to keep a check on burning of paddy straw. Awareness is
being created among the farmers.