KARIMNAGAR: Even while raising awareness on damage the stubble burning causes to environment as well as their own fields, the State Agriculture and Fire Departments warned the farmers not to continue with such practice, which is quite rampant in rural areas across the erstwhile Karimnagar district.
The Police Department, meanwhile, warned of stringent action under relevant sections if any one is found to be burning the stubble, resulting in fire accidents.Every season, after harvesting the previous crop, the farmers begin land preparation for the next cultivation. As part of that initial farming process, they burn the paddy stubble. This invariably results in fire spreading to surrounding areas, sometimes destroying the adjoining fields, houses and age-old trees.
The situation this season is no different with hundreds of acres paddy fields across the district engulfed in fire or covered in thick black smoke. The Fire Department, which has been receiving several emergency calls on a daily basis related to stubble burning, has been doing its best to address the issues. Along with the Agriculture Department, it has also initiated several programmes to create awareness among the farmers about the drastic impact the stubble burning leaves on the environment and human lives.
The farmers claim that the stubble burning is the only way to prepare their fields for cultivation of next crop.However, District Fire Safety Officer T Venkanna says: “Since the start of summer, we have received around 30 calls reporting fire accidents at fields. These are not accidents and these are incidents caused by stubble burning.”
“Now, the stubble burning is turning into a huge environmental threat. The farmers should avoid this practice as it not only impacts their own fields and that of others but also leads to air pollution. In some cases, the nearby houses were also burnt. Instead of burning the stubble, these farmers should follow the suggestions of agriculture authorities and accordingly prepare their fields for next crop,” he adds.
Meanwhile, the police officials said they would initiate action against the farmers who are burning the stubble, leading to fire accidents at fields. They also said that cases would be registered against such persons under Section 285 IPC (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter).