FIR against stubble burning for flouting state govt order

Allahabad: Days after the state government ordered a crackdown against stubble burning in its fight against pollution, an FIR was lodged against unidentified men for allegedly burning stray crops in Fatehpur late Wednesday night. Police said this was the first case of stubble burning to be reported from Allahabad range — comprising Pratapgarh, Allahabad, Kaushambi and Fatehpur.

DIG (Allahabad range) KP Singh said, “On November 19, lekhpal of Asothar Sadar Tehsil Vijay Laxmi informed the police that she had spotted stray crops being burned in a field in Premmau Katra village. Acting on the complaint, an FIR was lodged under sections 278 and 285 of the Indian Penal Code and, section 26 of the National Green Tribunal Act.”

He also said that police are trying to identify the persons who had allegedly burnt stubble.

“District-level committees headed by ADM-rank officials have been constituted in all four districts of Allahabad range and officials of other departments like agriculture, revenue and police are members of the panel,” said the DIG. He added that police and the administrative teams have launched awareness campaigns in all four districts to educate local residents about the hazardous effects of the practise.

During the campaigns, the officials would apprise farmers and citizens about how they could land in trouble for stubble burning.

Reports said district authorities have directed revenue inspectors, lekhpals and station house officers to keep a vigil on fields and educate farmers about alternatives to stubble burning.

Earlier in November, the state home department ordered district magistrates and police chiefs of 10 districts — Mathura, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Maharajganj, Bareilly, Aligarh, Jhansi and Jalaun — to submit a joint report on stubble burning by November 20. The officials were asked to submit details about the action taken by them to curb the practise.