Delhi is expected to breathe easy this winter with the Haryana Government making efforts to stop paddy farmers in their respective districts from burning the farm stubble but the “blanket ban” has enraged farmers and their resentment might reflect in the upcoming Parliamentary polls due next year.
Farmers of villages in Sonipat, Panipat and Karnal in Haryana asserted that they are facing setback in farming due to the ban on burning stubble and thus they will not vote in favour of the BJP in the Lok-Sabha elections due next year.
Majority of the farmers said they need to clear the stubble soon after harvesting as they have to sow the next crop. For clearing the farm waste the farmers usually have a short time span of about 10-15 days in which they prefer burning the stubble rather than employing other eco-friendly practices that includes “in-situ” management of residue.
The farmers said renting equipment from Custom Hiring Centers (CHC) is costly and in wake of fact that limited number of equipments is available for large number of farmers or farmland in a particular area, it is almost impractical to manage stubble in each farm with short span of fortnight. Failing which farmers are left with no other option other than burning the stubble if they have to sow “kanak” or wheat.
The farmers said they have voted for BJP in the last Parliamentary elections but will not vote for it again as the prices of “diesel” have increased and adding the equipments related to straw management in their tractors increases the load on it and it consumes more fuel. The farmers also said due to incessant rain this year they have already suffered much loss in crop and if they fail to sow the next crop on time they will suffer heavily.
“We thought that being a Chief Minister, he will look after our concern. The CM should have provided these machines for free and in adequate way to farmers. The way he had treated us we will not vote for BJP in coming elections,” said farmer Krishan.
“No Government in Centre or State care for us. During the time of elections there are always promises by these political parties but so far none of the parties have cared for farmers who are going day by day in deep loans. It is better to sit in home than to vote these political parties,” said Hardeep Bazad, a farmer in Makroli village near Rohtak.
“I don’t have any land so to feed my family I have taken 7 acres of land on contract at Bhola khalsa village in Karnal district. Due to rain last week almost crops in 2 acre were destroyed. So now I can’t afford machines and only option left is to burn crop. The Government even didn’t think to pay us for our damage but they want to take our hard earned money from us,” said Vinod Chaudhary, a farmer.
Last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had pulled up Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan Governments for not submitting status reports on steps taken to prevent pollution emanating from crop burning after the harvest season.
