A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Delhi government and the four northern States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to check the bi-annual menace, which the farmers engage in to save time between sowing of wheat and rice. The tribunal also announced a fine of Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 15,000 on farmers found indulging in straw burning.

The practice is followed by farmers not only to save time under the rice-wheat crop rotation to clear the land of residue of one harvest and sow the next, it is also believed that it makes the land more fertile and kill pests. In November, farmers sow crops such as wheat and vegetables. They often set fire to their fields to clear them before planting making the atmosphere in Delhi more blinding and suffocating with the smoke moving towards the city.

Every year, images captured by NASA earth observatory show numerous such fires in the northern states. The Tribunal has also directed the District magistrates to form a committee to carry out awareness programmes for farmers and villagers so as to educate them about the ill-effects of straw burning. The Bench said they should be educated by various means such as nuked nataks etc and if the directions are not complied with, the chief secretaries concerned would be held liable, Mr Rao informed.

Try This…

What is NGT?