Punjab agriculture officials feel the heat of stubble-burning, 4 suspended

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 30

Officials of the Agriculture Department are now feeling the heat of stubble-burning as the government today suspended four officials, including the Chief Agriculture Officer of Chief Minister’s home district Sangrur, for failing to checking farm fires in their respective areas.

No let-up in farm fires

• 1,761 incidents on Sunday
• 323 of these in Sangrur alone
• 13,873 total cases this season
• 10,000 incidents in one week

As per the orders issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Saravjit Singh, the four officials have been suspended for dereliction of duty while dealing with stubble-burning. Those who have been suspended are Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur, Harbans Singh and agriculture officers Satish Kumar from Samana in Patiala district, Harpal Singh from Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran and Bhupinder Singh from Patti in Tarn Taran. According to a press note issued by the government, following directions from CM Bhagwant Mann, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal placed the four officials under suspension with immediate effect.

During the period of suspension, they will have to be present at the headquarters and will be given subsistence allowance. The government said it had adopted a zero tolerance policy towards stubble-burning.

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#Agriculture #Environment #farm fires #Pollution #Sangrur