Haryana's Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department has suspended 24 officials over alleged failure to take adequate steps to prevent stubble burning incidents in their respective areas. An order in this regard was issued on October 20.

While the order mentioned that the officials are suspended on administrative grounds, a senior officer of the department on Tuesday said the action has been taken because of the alleged failure of these officials to prevent stubble burning incidents.

He said more stubble burning cases were found in their areas.

The officials, who have been placed under suspension, include agriculture inspectors, supervisors and agriculture development officers from nine districts --Jind, Panipat, Hisar, Kaithal, Karnal, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Sonipat and Ambala.

When reporters here on Tuesday asked Haryana's Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana the reason behind suspension of the 24 officials, he said,

"The reason is that stubble should not be burnt."  "Where farmers took wrong decision, even if under compulsion, but the decision is wrong," he added.

Rana said he has been told that 3,000 cases have been registered against the violators.

He said Haryana is taking steps to control stubble burning incidents.

When asked if strictness is being done by the authorities in view of hearing in the Supreme Court, Rana said every government obeys the apex court's orders.

The Supreme Court had pulled up the Punjab and Haryana governments over the non-prosecution of violators found guilty of stubble burning while summoning the state chief secretaries to appear before it on October 23 for an explanation.

A bench of justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Augustine George Maish pointed out "complete insensitivity" on the part of both states, directing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take penal action against both the government officials for the failure to take action against the violators.

Stubble burning is a major contributor to the rising pollution levels in the national capital.

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation in Delhi blaming 'parali' (paddy stubble) burning in BJP-ruled Haryana as one of the reasons for poor air quality, Rana said it is being publicized that farmer alone is causing pollution.

"In Delhi, what are the reasons for pollution? How much population is there? A densely populated city will have more pollution.

How many airports are there? How much pollution is caused by an aircraft? How much construction work is taking place there? (in Delhi region).

There are 28 nullahs (in national capital) which are flowing into Yamuna, pollution is because of that also," he said.

When asked Delhi is blaming Haryana, Rana said, "AAP is ruling Delhi and Punjab, but they will not say anything to their party ruled dispensation in Punjab."

Earlier on Sunday, Haryana Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad, who held a review meeting via video conferencing with the district deputy commissioners, to discuss measures to prevent stubble burning across the state, had emphasized strict adherence to the Supreme Court's orders, instructing officials to ensure that incidents of stubble burning are effectively curtailed.

Recently, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress general secretary and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja demanded that the government fix MSP for stubble and buy it from the farmers.

Referring to recent directions of Haryana agriculture department,

Hooda slammed the state government for issuing directions to register FIRs against the farmers found burning crop residue besides imposing restriction on selling crops in mandis through the e-kharid portal for the next two seasons.

He also slammed the directions of making a "red mark entry" in farm records of the farmers found burning crop residue.