Nitin Jain
Farmers’ wait to get cash incentive for not burning paddy straw has finally ended, as the Ambala administration has disbursed the first instalment to eligible ones.
In the first lot, around 1,200 environment-friendly small and marginal peasants have got a sum of Rs 50 lakh for supporting the government’s initiative of crop residue management.
It was on November 11, that Haryana decided to provide Rs 1,000 per acre operational charges for crop residue management for in-situ and ex-situ purposes besides providing support of Rs 100 per quintal to small and marginal farmers, who have not burned stubble in their fields. But most of the farmers, owning upto 5 acres of land in the district, are unsure of the implementation of the government offer.
According to official information, 96 farmers have been incentivised with Rs 2,97,222 in Shahzadpur, 21 given Rs 99,412 in Ambala Cantonment, 51 in Barara given Rs 2,06,841 and 21 peasants in Karasan Rs 99,463. As many as 369 in Naraingarh have been given Rs 15,28,240, 16 in Kesri Rs 84,670, three in Barheri given Rs 19,125, 27 in Talheri Rs 1,01,536 and 89 in Mullana were given Rs 3,94,317.
The incentive has been distributed through Hafed, District Food and Civil Supplies Department and the Warehouse Corporation. While Hafed covered maximum 693 farmers, 370 and 81 peasants have been incentivised by the District Food and Civil Supplies Department and the Warehouse Corporation so far.
“All these farmers sold their paddy between November 6 and 15 and have not burnt their crop residue,” said Divisonal Commissioner Deepti Umashankar.
She said nodal officers have been deputed across district to ensure that farmers do not burn the crop residue and identify those eligible for the cash incentive.
CS reviews progress
Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora reviewed the progress of the incentive distribution and action against farm fires in Ambala district this week. She directed the district administration to identify all environmental-friendly peasants, who had not resorted to farm fires and ensure that they get incentivised under the government scheme, while all those who burnt and continue to burn stubble should be dealt with sternly.
The scheme
Farm fires less but on
Air quality ‘moderate’
With the cases of crop residue burning coming down, the air quality in Ambala turned “moderate” at 157 last week from “poor” at 289 and “very poor” category at 332 a week before that.
Figures at a glance
Farm fires: 106 Last year: 151
Police cases: 22 AQI: 157 (moderate)
Fine: Rs 2,12,500 lakh from 84 farmers
#Source: Official data
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