Chandigarh: The Punjab government has taken a U-turn on the issue of red entry in the revenue records of farmers for burning stubble. Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua, during a meeting with the Deputy Commissioners on September 23, had issued orders to apprise farmers of the losses incurred due to red entry in the revenue records of the farmers who burn stubble.

After facing strong opposing from the farmers over this decision of ‘Red Entry’, the government has started backtracking. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has said that the Punjab government will neither issue any challan to the farmers who burn stubble at present nor will there be a red entry in the revenue records. He said that the farmers will be sensitised and made aware with campaigns by the authorities concerned.

Dhaliwal said it was everyone’s duty to save the environment of the state. The government will now refrain from taking any drastic step against the farmers. At present, the government is trying to pacify the farmers who are angry over the pollution of stubble. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) has already registered its protest over the government’s red entry drive. Farmer leaders have said that the government should provide financial assistance for stubble management. Farmers are forced to burn stubble.

The farmer leaders had warned that the union would not sit quietly if the government took any step against the farmers who were forced to burn stubble.

This is the first paddy crop of the AAP government’s tenure and stubble pollution becomes an issue during the paddy season itself. Recently, the Punjab government had sent a scheme to the Central Government to provide financial assistance of Rs 2500 per acre to the farmers.

The central government had refused to add Rs 1,500 per acre to the scheme. Now the farmer parties are saying that if the Center has not agreed, then the Punjab government and the Delhi government should give compensation of Rs 1,000 per acre to the farmers.

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