Punjab Police’s Efforts Lead to Drastic Reduction in Stubble Burning Cases
Punjab Police’s Efforts Lead to Drastic Reduction in Stubble Burning Cases
The Punjab Police’s continuous efforts to curb stubble burning have led to a significant decrease in such incidents across the state. As reported by Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP) Law and Order, Arpit Shukla, who is also the state Police Nodal Officer for monitoring stubble burning, Punjab recorded only 634 cases of farm fires on Monday, marking the lowest number since Diwali.
Consistent Decrease in Stubble Burning Incidents
This decrease represents a consistent trend over the past few days, with a notable reduction of 28.8 percent in stubble burning cases. The preceding days saw 740 and 637 cases on Sunday and Saturday, respectively.
Supreme Court Directions and Police Actions
Following the Supreme Court’s directives to put a full stop to stubble burning, DGP Gaurav Yadav appointed Spl DGP Arpit Shukla as the Police Nodal Officer to oversee actions against this practice. The DGP has been conducting daily meetings with senior officers to review the situation, and show cause notices have been issued to SSPs of districts with high numbers of stubble burning cases.
Enforcement and Sensitization Measures
To enforce compliance, police teams have registered 1084 FIRs and imposed penalties totaling Rs 1.87 crores in 7990 cases since November 8, 2023. Additionally, red entries were made in the revenue records of 340 farmers. To enhance awareness, 1085 flying squads comprising police and civil officials have been vigilant against stubble burning. Meetings with Kisan leaders at district and block levels have been conducted to sensitize them about the Supreme Court orders, totaling 2587 meetings since November 8.
Ground-Level Efforts and Review
Spl DGP Arpit Shukla has been actively involved in the ground-level efforts, visiting police districts like Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, and Jagraon to review the situation and hold meetings with field officers. He credits the decline in farm fire cases to the untiring efforts of police personnel and civil administration officials.
Future Measures and Farmer Cooperation
The Spl DGP reiterated his call for farmers to cooperate and avoid setting fire to crop residue, highlighting the environmental and health risks. Additional patrolling parties and flying squads have been deployed, depending on the area and size of the police stations, to maintain vigilance against stubble burning.
