Farmers again burn paddy straw in protest

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 16

Farmers under the banner of the BKU Ekta (Sidhupur) burnt paddy stubble in protest at Phul village on Tuesday. They gathered in large numbers and raised slogans against the state government.

Farmers backed by the BKU protested by burning paddy stubble for the second day. On Monday, they had burnt paddy stubble in fields at Sheikhpura village in the Talwandi Sabo block.

They are protesting the registration of cases against five farmers for burning paddy stubble in fields at Sadiq village in Faridkot district.

Baldev Singh Sandoha, state president, BKU Ekta (Sidhupur), said the use of farm equipment for crop residue management was not an ideal solution as it was putting additional financial burden on small and marginal growers whose condition was already pitiable.

He said the government was asking them to buy machines, but it did not tell from where they should get money. The farmers’ leader said the government was not providing any help at the grassroots level.

Sandoha said, “The government is propagating the use of costly machines, including harvester combines. Indebted farmers of the state cannot afford them.”

Mohan Singh, a member of BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) said, “We are demanding Rs6,000 as compensation from the state government to dispose of paddy stubble without burning it, but the state government is not paying any attention to our demand.”

He said except India, no country burned paddy straw as they prepared tiles and power from straw. He said apart from banning stubble burning, no step had been taken by the state government for stubble management.

A farmer, Jagjit Singh, said, “A baler machine costs Rs1.8 lakh and even happy seeder machines is run on diesel. The rising fuel prices also compel the farmers to avoid using these machines.”