DIRECTS OFFICERS TO TAKE STERN ACTION AGAINST PEOPLE INDULGING IN THIS ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD

Jalandhar
Gearing up for checking the paddy straw burning in the district, the Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma today said that teams of district administration along with Remote Sensing Satellites would keep a strict vigil on this environmental hazard.

Presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for checking this menace here at the District Administrative Complex today, the Deputy Commissioner said that an eagle eye would be kept to nab every person, who indulges in this activity which causes a major environmental problem. He said that the team of Revenue, Panchayati Raj, Police and other officials would ensure that burning the paddy straw does not take place in villages. Likewise, Mr. Sharma said that in order to ensure that no erring person could escape from action a strict vigil was also being kept through remote sensing satellites. He said that the satellites would detect the place where any burning of paddy straw has taken and subsequently the administration would take action against the person involved in it.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the Revenue department to ensure that Red Entry was done in the land records after any such incident takes place in any village. Likewise, he said that as per the decision of the state government suitable action would be taken against any government employees/ officer/ official on whose land paddy straw burning would take place. Mr. Sharma said that action would also be initiated against Nambardar, elected members of Panchayati Raj Institutions and others who indulge in such activity.

The Deputy Commissioner said that as per directions of the National Green Tribunal any farmer indulging in practice of straw burning would be levied environment cess worth Rs 2500 per incidence if their land was below two acre adding that cess worth Rs 5000 and Rs 15000 per incidence would be imposed on farmers having land between two to five acres and above five acres respectively. He asked the officers/ officials to check this hazard in true letter and spirit without falling prey to any sort of intimidation. Mr. Sharma assured fulsome support and cooperation to all the officers/ officials for this cause.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Additional Deputy Commissioners Dr. Bhupinder Pal Singh and Mr. Jasbir Singh, Assistant Commissioners Dr. Baljinder Singh Dhillon and Mr. Babbandeep Singh Walia, Sub Divsional Magistrates Ms. Amrit Singh, Mr. Paramveer Singh, Mr. Varinder Pal Singh Bajwa and Ms. Navneet Kaur Bal, District Development and Panchayat Officer Mr. Iqbalpreet Singh, District Mandi Officer Mr. Varinder Khera, Deputy Food and Civil Supplies Controller Mr. Narinder Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. Balwinder Iqbal Singh Kahlon, and other officers of district administration.