📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Harvinder Chandigarh
Agriculture
Haryana farmer unions decry FIRs on stubble burning, call criminal action ineffective
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 13 Nov 2026, 01:32 AM
👁 16
Farmer unions in Haryana criticised the state government's decision to file FIRs against stubble burning, arguing that criminal prosecution will not curb the practice.
The Haryana state administration has registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against several farmers for allegedly burning crop residue after the harvest season. The move, intended to enforce the ban on stubble burning, was met with sharp rebuke from farmer unions representing the state's agrarian community.
Union leaders contended that criminalising a long‑standing agricultural practice will not address the underlying causes, such as limited access to affordable mechanised alternatives and tight harvesting windows. They urged the government to focus on providing subsidised equipment and extending the window for residue management instead of pursuing legal action.
The unions also warned that the FIRs could exacerbate farmer distress, potentially leading to further confrontations with authorities. While the state has pledged to intensify monitoring and impose penalties, officials said the FIRs are a necessary deterrent to protect air quality in the region.
The debate underscores the broader tension between environmental regulations and the economic realities faced by farmers in northern India, where stubble burning remains a seasonal challenge each year.
Union leaders contended that criminalising a long‑standing agricultural practice will not address the underlying causes, such as limited access to affordable mechanised alternatives and tight harvesting windows. They urged the government to focus on providing subsidised equipment and extending the window for residue management instead of pursuing legal action.
The unions also warned that the FIRs could exacerbate farmer distress, potentially leading to further confrontations with authorities. While the state has pledged to intensify monitoring and impose penalties, officials said the FIRs are a necessary deterrent to protect air quality in the region.
The debate underscores the broader tension between environmental regulations and the economic realities faced by farmers in northern India, where stubble burning remains a seasonal challenge each year.