FATEHPUR: Cases have been registered against at least 30 farmers in different areas of Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district for allegedly burning farm stubble in the past two days and eight of them were sent to jail as they could not pay the fine, police said on Saturday.
Several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, have banned stubble or crop residue burning to check air pollution.
"On Thursday, in Bhairampur village, cases for burning farm stubble were registered against eight farmers and the sub-divisional magistrate has recovered the fine from them," Station House Officer (SHO), Hussainganj, Satyendra Singh Bhadauria said.
The action was taken on reports from lekhpals (revenue officials), he said.
"Eight farmers have been sent to jail as they were unable to pay the fine to the sub-divisional magistrate," SHO, Mallawa, Sher Singh Rajput said.
His Kotwali counterpart, Ravindra Srivastava said that action has been taken against three farmers in his area and a fine of Rs 10,000 has been recovered from each of them.
SHO, Thariyon, Upendranath Rai said that late on Friday night, cases were registered against 14 farmers in his area.
Prior to this, almost a fortnight back, cases were registered against six farmers at the Khakheru police station and four farmers at the Khaga police station for violating the ban on stubble burning.
District agriculture officer Brijesh Kumar Singh said that so far cases have been registered against 28 farmers for burning stubble, and fine has been recovered from them.
However, a senior district police officer alleged that the agriculture department was not giving correct figures.
In the last fortnight, cases have been registered against over 100 farmers on complaints lodged by revenue officials, he said.
Bundelkhand Kisan Union president Vimal Kumar Sharma said that the action taken against farmers amounts to "atrocities".
"Brick kilns in Fatehpur emit smoke throughout the day, but no action is initiated against their owners. But, fake cases are registered against farmers, and they are sent to jail. If the cases against farmers are not withdrawn, then a state-wide agitation will be undertaken," he said.