In an out-of-the-box idea to check instances of stubble burning, Punjab Government on Thursday announced to bar the farmers, found guilty of burning paddy straw, from contesting panchayat polls.
For the same, the Government has decided to make necessary amendments on the Punchayati Raj Act.
“The government is considering a proposal to amend the Panchayati Raj Act to prevent the farmers from stubble burning,” said the state Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa adding that the State Government is seriously considering a proposal to make farmers ineligible from contesting Panchayat elections if found guilty of stubble burning.
He said that the Government is already taking stringent steps to stop stubble and paddy waste burning. Regarding this, the Punjab Government has also appointed a large number of nodal officers and issued instructions for imposing penalties and taking legal action.
Bajwa said that this practice is not only polluting our environment, but the soil is also losing its fertility day-by-day.
“Due to stubble burning, global warming is increasing which is a danger to planet earth. Due to this, people had to suffer from diseases such as asthma, eye and skin, etc,” he said.
The Minister said that the Punjab Government is taking help from Agriculture experts, Farmer Associations, Progressive Farmers, Social and Religious leaders to completely put an end to stubble burning in the state.