NGT asks Punjab to share steps taken on incentives to farmers

Bathinda: The National Green Tribunal has directed Punjab special chief secretary (development) to take further action on reports already filed about steps being taken to contain crop residue burning in the state and file another action taken report.
The tribunal has directed the official to share the steps taken to give financial incentives by payment of higher price of crop over and above MSP or full or partial reimbursement of the cost incurred to encourage farmers not to burn paddy stubble.
A NGT bench comprising chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel in its order on Sept 5 (uploaded on Sept 24), while taking suo motu note of a news report, “Pollution takes a front seat as stubble fires spike in Punjab”, has sought details regarding imposition of environmental compensation on defaulters in accordance with the mandate of order passed by the tribunal against the violators during the year 2023.
The tribunal sought details regarding the number of members of panchayats and numbardars, and members of cooperatives societies or employees of the Punjab govt or local bodies who burnt paddy straw during 2023 and action taken against them.
The tribunal demanded to know about action taken by the revenue department for making red entries in the revenue record of farmers who burnt paddy straw during 2023, gap analysis regard to availability of CRM during 2023 within each district of the state and impact thereof conducted by respective districts and the remedial steps for ensuring availability of CRM within each district of the state.