Twenty farmers sent to jail in Pilibhit for burning stubble

Pilibhit/UNI: After Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reprimanded officials of the ten districts who could not stop stubble burning leading to increase in pollution, the Pilibhit district authorities tightened the noose by sending 20 farmers to jail and taking action against 17 lekhpals, suspending eight of them.

Taking stern action against the stubble burnerns, Pilibhit district Magistrate Vahaiv Srivastava , on Tuesday, sent 15 farmers under Puranpur police station and 5 under Madhotanda police station to jail, confirmed a district official here on Wednesday.

Though the farmers alleged that they were not burning the stubble and district authorities, in order to cover up their lapses have sent them to jail, the DM said that none will be spared violating the norms.

DM has suspended 8 lekhpals, besides ordering departmental inquiry against 5 lekhpals and served show cause notices to four other lekhpals.

Besides, a police sub-inspector and two police constables have been sent to the police lines and the district magistrate himself was visiting the stubble burning prone areas and asking the farmers not to burn their agriculture waste.

Already, FIRs have been registered against 850 farmers in Pilibhit and a fine of Rs 15 lakhs imposed. The district authorities have already collected Rs 6 lakh of this fine so far.

Meanwhile, another report from Ballia quoting SDM(Sadar) Ashwini Srivastava said that FIR have been registered against seven farmers besides a fine of Rs 26,000 on them for burning stubble.