India
Center doubles punishment for stubble burning | India News – Times of India
The revised punishment will be imposed with immediate effect on offenders in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and NCR areas of UP and Rajasthan.
The rules were announced on Wednesday and specify that farmers with less than two hectares of agricultural land will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 per incident if they are found burning stubble.
Farmers have to pay a fine of up to Rs 30,000 for each instance of burning rice crop residue
Those who have two hectares or more but less than five hectares will have to pay Rs 10,000 per incident; and those who have more than five hectares of land will have to pay Rs 30,000 per incident.
The notice replaced the imposition, collection and use of environmental compensation for stubble burning rules, 2023, which carry fines of Rs 2,500, Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 per incident, depending on the three land size categories.
The Air Quality Management Commission (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas has been given the power under the rules to impose fines (environmental compensation) on erring farmers.
Accordingly, the commission on Thursday authorized all nodal/supervisory officers appointed by the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to impose and collect environmental compensation, as per the revised rates. The violators will have to deposit the fine either in cash or through electronic means into the account of the respective State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Commissions “within 30 days from the date of challan”.
Stubble burning cases cross 4 lakh in 6 states in 6th year, 74% in Punjab
Crop residue burning has declined during the ongoing rice crop season but has still reached nearly four lakh cases recorded in six study states in the sixth year. Punjab remains the worst affected, accounting for more than 74% of cases. Of the 400,461 cases recorded in six states, Punjab recorded 296,670 cases, followed by 50,242 cases in Madhya Pradesh.
Before the start of the current season, according to the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS), Punjab had recorded more than 75% of burning cases, with the state reporting 291,629 cases out of a total of 387,946. With fewer fire cases in the current season, Punjab has reduced its share by 1%. The burning of crop residues is recorded by CREAMS using satellite data from September 15 to November 30.
While Punjab and Haryana have been criticized by various agencies for deteriorating air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR), Haryana has recorded even fewer stubble burning cases than Madhya Pradesh at 24,361.
