The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of SAS Nagar (Mohali) district, Girish Dayalan issued a show-cause notice against officials who did not attend calls for paddy stubble burning in the Derabassi Sub-Division, on Wednesday.

The DC ordered the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to get FIRs registered against farmers who engaged in stubble burning. Dayalan said that they had found 106 spots in the district with the paddy stubble tracker. By using the tracker, the teams found that paddy stubble had still not been burnt at 51 locations.

The DC added that it is mandatory for officers to reach the location where stubble burning has been reported within 48 hours. In some cases, due to the late arrival of the officers, the teams failed to find out if stubble was burnt or not.

As the farmers irrigate fields after the stubble is burnt, it isn’t easy to establish whether it was done or not. This is another reason behind issuing show-cause notices to officers.

As per the commissioner, Environment Compensation (EC) will be collected from farmers for violating guidelines, marking red entries in revenue records and FIR will be registered if they indulge in paddy stubble burning.

‘If a farmer owns up to two acres land, they are liable to pay Rs 2,500 EC in case of violation, owners up to five acres have to pay Rs 5,000 and those with landholding more than 15 acres have to pay ₹15,000. ‘ reported The Indian Express

In case any red entries are entered in revenue records, it becomes difficult for farmers to get a loan or sell their land.

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