KMSC slams Centre’s double penalties for stubble burning, urges fair pollution solutions
HARISH MONGA
Ferozepur, November 7, 2024: The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), led by Sarwan Singh Pandher, has strongly condemned the Centre's recent order to double penalties for stubble burning under the Environment Protection Act (EPA). This move follows the Supreme Court’s criticism of the EPA as being “toothless,” pushing for stricter measures amid rising pollution levels. The protest, now in its 269th day at the Shambhu border, is also a call for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee bill, which KMSC continues to demand.
The new penalties require farmers with less than two acres of land to pay ₹5,000, those with two to five acres ₹10,000, and those with more than five acres ₹30,000 for burning stubble. This amendment, introduced under the Commission for Air Quality Management, comes as Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surpasses 400, with severe pollution affecting the region.
Pandher highlighted the government's failure to deliver on a National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandate to provide subsidized machinery for stubble management at ₹10,000. According to Pandher, only about 30% of farmers have received this promised support, and financial assistance ordered by the Supreme Court remains unavailable.
The farmer's leader also underscored that only 7-10% of stubble is burned by farmers, emphasizing that pollution from industries and transport—contributing 51% and 25% respectively—remains largely unaddressed. He noted, “Industries polluting rivers like the Yamuna go unmentioned, yet farmers are unfairly targeted.”
At a meeting in Kathu Nangal, Pandher warned that the fines for stubble burning won’t solve the pollution crisis and vowed to resist punitive actions like fines, cases, and red entries in revenue records. The KMSC is gearing up to challenge these measures, demanding that authorities take a more balanced approach to tackling pollution.