Chandigarh, Oct 7 (PTI) Haryana has recorded a 95 per cent reduction in active fire locations related to paddy crop residue burning compared to the previous year, according to data presented at a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi here on Tuesday.
The state reported 150 such incidents from September 15 to October 6 last year. It has managed to bring down the number to just seven during the same period this year, according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
All districts have also constituted ‘Parali Protection Forces’ to ensure swift action against violators.
Of the seven active fire locations reported, an official statement said, appropriate action has been taken in three cases — issuance of challans, filing of FIRs and making red entries in farm records.
It said two of the reported fires were found to be non-agricultural in nature — one involving garbage in Faridabad and another involving industrial waste in Sonipat.
“The success can be attributed to the state government’s comprehensive monitoring mechanism, which includes the deployment of 9,036 nodal officers across all districts — exceeding the required strength of 8,494 officers.
“These officers have been strategically assigned to supervise farmers, with each officer responsible for monitoring 50 farmers in red and yellow zones, and 100 farmers in other areas,” the statement said.
Deputy commissioners across all districts have been directed to ensure that these nodal officers receive proper training through a newly developed mobile application, it said.
The training programme, conducted on Monday, equipped master trainers, who will cascade the knowledge to district-level nodal officers by Tuesday, it added.
The officers have been tasked with regular farmer engagement, monitoring residue management practices, tracking machinery utilisation and reporting any fire incidents through the dedicated mobile platform.
According to the statement, Haryana has made substantial progress in providing farmers with effective alternatives to burning crop residue.
Official data showed that 90 per cent of the identification work for Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery has been completed, with 51,526 machines confirmed as operational.
The procurement of new CRM machinery is progressing at an impressive pace, having achieved a 94.74 per cent completion rate. Out of the 14,088 machines selected through a lottery system, permits have been downloaded for 8,213 machines and bills have been uploaded for 7,781 machines.
Districts such as Faridabad, Jhajjar and Rohtak have achieved completion rates exceeding 98 per cent, demonstrating exemplary implementation of the machinery distribution programme, the statement said.
In a pioneering move toward sustainable residue management, the state has partnered with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s (IOCL) ethanol plant in Panipat.
The facility is tentatively set to purchase approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of paddy crop residue from Panipat district, along with an additional 1,70,000 metric tonnes from adjoining districts.
This initiative not only provides farmers with an economically viable alternative to stubble burning but also contributes to the production of clean, renewable fuel.
The state administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward stubble burning, in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Farmers registered on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal are being sent weekly SMS alerts, warning them of strict action, including challans, FIRs and red entries in farm records, if they engage in crop residue burning.
One mass SMS has already been dispatched to all registered paddy-growing farmers, with additional awareness messages scheduled to be sent on a weekly basis, the statement said.
Recognising the need for proper storage facilities for paddy straw bales, the state is conducting a comprehensive gap analysis, it said.
Five districts have identified a requirement for an additional 205 acres of panchayat land for storage purposes. While districts like Kurukshetra have already made land available, others, including Karnal, Panipat, and Sonipat, are expected to submit their proposals shortly, it said.
Aggregators in Ambala have opted to arrange land independently rather than utilise panchayat properties.
Haryana’s holistic approach — combining technology, infrastructure development, farmer awareness, strict enforcement and innovative residue utilisation — has set a benchmark in agricultural environmental management, the statement said.
As the paddy harvesting season progresses, the state authorities remain vigilant to maintain this track record and ensure cleaner air quality across the region, it said.
Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Wildlife, Sudhir Rajpal; Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Vineet Garg; Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, A K Singh; and other senior officers attended the meeting. PTI SUN DIV DIV
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