Authorities in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district have intensified their crackdown on stubble burning, registering 240 FIRs against farmers this season, imposing fines totalling around Rs 12 lakh and marking 240 fields with red entries in land revenue records.

Despite repeated appeals and enforcement measures, incidents of stubble burning continue to be reported across the district, prompting the administration to step up surveillance and action against violators.

District Agriculture Officer Tejbir Singh Bhangu said satellite monitoring had identified 400 suspected locations of stubble burning across Tarn Taran. Agriculture department teams subsequently visited these locations to verify the reports.

Of the 400 locations flagged through satellite surveillance, burning was not confirmed at 245 sites, while stubble burning was established at the remaining 215 locations.

Bhangu said action was being taken against farmers whose fields were found to have been set on fire. Police have registered 240 FIRs so far, while the administration has also imposed financial penalties amounting to approximately Rs 12 lakh.

In addition, the revenue department has made red entries in the land records of 240 fields where stubble burning was reported. These entries will have an impact on the revenue records of the concerned landowners.

AWARENESS DRIVE LAUNCHED ALONGSIDE CRACKDOWN

Apart from taking punitive action, the administration is also focusing on educating farmers about the harmful consequences of stubble burning.

Bhangu said special teams had been formed to visit villages and encourage farmers to stop burning crop residue. The teams are informing farmers about alternative methods of stubble management and the environmental damage caused by setting fields on fire.

The agriculture department has appealed to farmers to adopt proper crop residue management practices instead of burning stubble in their fields.

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