Determined Punjab officials battle stubble fires amidst growing concern for air quality

During the stubble-burning season in Punjab, all eyes were focused on the state due to the worsening air quality in various parts of North India, including Delhi. In response to this concern, Punjab government officials were actively working to extinguish the fires raging in the fields. Among those taking proactive measures was Lehragaga Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Suba Singh.

On November 7, a striking photograph captured him standing atop a fire engine, using high-pressure water hoses to combat the flames in the fields of Raidharana village in Punjab’s Sangrur district. Suba Singh had visited the village alongside Lehragaga Station House Officer Ranbir Singh, who later implored local farmers to refrain from burning stubble.

Their counterparts in Lehragaga, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Surinder Singh and SDM Harbans Singh, also ventured into the burning fields in Begowal village in Malerkotla. Dressed in formal attire without masks, these officers held bundles of dry straw in their hands to assist in extinguishing the fires that were consuming the paddy fields. A member of the district administration team noted that they worked in an area with less intense fires, while the fire brigade team operated within the fields. Their efforts conveyed a broader message to the public, urging them to cease burning fields.

Malerkotla Deputy Commissioner Dr. Pallavi was also present, lending her support to the cause. Similarly, Khanna SDM Baljinder Singh Dhillon visited Daheru village along with a team of firefighters. Dhillon remarked, “In Khanna, only seven such incidents have occurred, but I am contacting the villagers. Here, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and HDFC provide significant assistance in crop residue management.”

Despite these efforts by government officials, there were instances of resistance in some villages. For example, in Bathinda’s Mehma Sarja village, Sub-Divisional Engineer Harpreet Sagar was held hostage by farmers and coerced into burning stubble the previous week, a development that garnered widespread condemnation.

“Farmers have been resisting in various locations, but officers remain steadfast in their mission,” reported Hasan Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer of Bathinda.

While the flames were gradually being extinguished, the question of how to manage the stubble remained unanswered. Frustration grew among farmers who were running behind schedule for sowing wheat. One farmer expressed, “The officers are showing up to make claims about their efforts. They are getting themselves photographed and recorded. It’s good that they are concerned, but at the same time, they should provide concrete solutions for shifting to other crops.”

Jagmohan Singh Patiala, the General Secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union, Dakaunda, added, “Farmers are also deeply concerned about the environment. We know that rice is not even our staple food, but if we receive a minimum support price (MSP) on crops other than paddy, we will gladly diversify.”