Jind police have registered eight cases against farmers allegedly burning crop residue in Haryana’s Jind district, as authorities intensify enforcement against a practice linked to air pollution, reduced road visibility and risks to public health and property.
Superintendent of Police Upasana warned that legal action would continue against those violating the rules and appealed to farmers not to burn paddy stubble, crop residue or straw in their fields. She said the police were monitoring incidents across the district and coordinating with government departments to act against violators under applicable legal provisions, including prescribed penalties.
The police action comes as residue burning remains a seasonal challenge for district administrations in agricultural regions. Smoke from burning fields can reduce visibility on roads, increasing the risk of accidents, while the resulting pollution can affect respiratory health, according to the SP’s statement cited in the report.
Upasana also pointed to impacts beyond air quality. Burning crop residue can reduce soil fertility, deteriorate soil quality and create a risk of fire spreading to standing crops and nearby property, she said. Her warning frames the issue as both an environmental and public-safety concern rather than only a matter of agricultural compliance.
“Stubble burning is not a solution but a serious threat to the environment and public health. Farmers should abandon this practice and cooperate with the administration in keeping the environment clean,” Upasana said.
The figures cited by the police and agriculture department differ in scope. The police said eight cases had been registered against farmers, while Narender Pal, a quality control inspector with the agriculture department in Jind, said 10 cases of stubble burning had been reported so far. The report does not specify whether the additional reported incidents had been converted into police cases.
The agriculture department is also conducting awareness efforts and encouraging farmers to use alternatives to open burning. Pal said officials were explaining the harmful effects of residue burning and promoting other methods of crop residue management.
Authorities have urged farmers to adopt modern agricultural machinery and environment-friendly techniques to manage crop residue. The effectiveness of the response will depend on how enforcement is coordinated with access to workable alternatives, but the immediate action announced by Jind police is focused on identifying violations and applying the prescribed legal provisions.
The police said monitoring would continue across the district, while the agriculture department’s awareness and alternative-management efforts are ongoing.
