Punjab: Govt asks absentee land owners to stop stubble burning on their leased lands

The Punjab government on Sunday asked Deputy Commissioners to direct absentee landowners, who have leased out their agriculture land to tenants, to ensure that no paddy straw burning takes place on their lands.

KS Pannu Secretary Agriculture of Punjab said: "About 25 per cent farmland in Punjab is estimated to be leased out, mostly by non-resident Punjabi's or people living in urban areas, at yearly rent (thheka) of Rs 40,000-55,000 per acre, therefore, they are equally responsible to stop paddy residue burning in their fields."

Pannu mentioned that these landowners shall become liable for any action as per law in case crop residue is put to the fire in their fields.

He requested to landowners to give some rebate in rent to cultivators to encourage them to mix the straw in the land without burning which will help in improving soil health and save the environment.

The government has already banned the stubble burning under section 19(5) of Air (Prevention of Pollution and Control) Act, 1981. District Magistrates have also banned the burning of crop residue under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure at the district level.

"The Deputy Commissioners have also been asked to get the list of landowners prepared through village level nodal officers. Such nodal officers have been asked to contact such landowners for complying with the instructions. This exercise is aimed at persuading them to ensure no stubble burning takes place on fields leased out by them," Pannu added.

The Secretary further said that all revenue Patwari's had already been directed to mark entry in the Girdawari of Agriculture land where paddy residue burning takes place.

Considering that burning of paddy straw causes irreversible damage to soil health, environment and health of living beings, a resolution was also passed by the Council of Ministers under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The cabinet unanimously appealed to the farmers to do away with the unhealthy practice of stubble burning in line with upholding the ideology of Guru Nanak Dev to protect natural resources.