Burning Debate: Punjab Farmers Demand Financial Aid for Stubble Management

As stubble-burning rises in Punjab, farmers demand financial support to manage paddy residue. High costs of machinery and short sowing windows force many to burn stubble, contributing to pollution. Farmers urge for guaranteed minimum prices on alternative crops and increased availability of machinery.

Amid growing concerns over stubble-burning incidents in Punjab, farmers are calling for financial incentives to manage paddy residue effectively. They argue that high machinery costs make it economically unviable for small cultivators to manage crop residue by themselves.

The urgency of preparing fields for Rabi crops such as wheat, compounded with limited time after paddy harvest, forces many farmers to resort to burning straw. This practice is often criticized for exacerbating air pollution in Delhi during the harvest season.

Farmers and labor unions advocate for guaranteed minimum prices on alternative crops, like maize and pulses, to decrease reliance on paddy farming. They also urge authorities to facilitate better access to crop management machinery at the village level to mitigate burning incidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)