Ferozepur : The Ferozepur Police have ramped up efforts to combat stubble burning in the district, implementing various measures over the past two days. Farmers who have embraced stubble management techniques instead of burning are rewarded for their cooperation. At the same time, police teams meet regularly with those using combines to harvest their crops, educating them on the environmental and legal repercussions of burning stubble.
In collaboration with bale-making teams, police are ensuring that remote villages have access to alternative stubble disposal methods, reducing the need for burning. Additionally, officers are visiting farmers who have yet to harvest, urging them to avoid stubble burning.
The police are also working closely with the district administration and agriculture department to address farmers' concerns and aim to reduce incidents of stubble burning by providing practical solutions.
Amid a rise in daily farm fire incidents, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Ferozepur has climbed to a hazardous level of 225, causing an increase in health issues. Cases of cough, cold, and eye irritation have been reported at the Civil Hospital. Dr. Jatinder Kochhar has advised residents to stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and to wear masks if venturing outside. So far, authorities have recorded 745 stubble-burning cases, with action taken in 518 incidents. However, BKU Krantikari leader Gurmit Singh Ghodechak stated that stubble burning remains a necessity for farmers until they receive fair crop prices under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system.