Patna, November 11 (Language) Amid increasing air pollution due to stubble burning, the Bihar government has decided to identify farmers indulging in this practice and post their names in block offices. Officials gave this information on Saturday.
Officials said that apart from shaming such persons by exposing their names, instructions have also been given to initiate action against such farmers under section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which deals with unlawful obstruction or nuisance.
Agriculture Minister Kumar Sarvjit told PTI, “The state government has banned stubble burning to prevent air pollution and protect soil fertility. A strict warning has been issued to farmers that if they burn stubble, financial assistance and subsidies under government schemes will be denied.
“The state provides electricity at subsidized rates and diesel at concessional prices to farmers,” he said. Therefore, farmers should take this matter seriously for the betterment of people and the environment.
Officials said the meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Aamir Subhani also decided that the names of farmers who were earlier prosecuted for stubble burning would be put up in block offices.
Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) Chairman Devendra Kumar Shukla said the decision has been taken to prevent farmers from burning stubble and causing harm to the environment. “The state government has taken several measures to discourage farmers from burning stubble,” he said. The state government has launched an awareness campaign and farmers are being given subsidy on various agricultural equipment.
He said that poor air quality always remains a matter of concern in various cities of the state, especially during winters.
In April, several farmers from Rohtas, Kaimur, Buxar, Nalanda, Gaya and Patna districts were penalized by the agriculture department for violating norms related to stubble burning. The highest number of such cases was reported in Rohtas with 1,298 cases, followed by Kaimur (438 cases) and West Champaran (279 cases).
Language Amit Suresh
Suresh
