MP Farmers to Face ₹15,000 Fine for Burning Crop Residue, Harvester with Straw Chopper Mandatory

The Madhya Pradesh government is urging farmers to stop burning their wheat crops after they harvest them. Burning the crops is bad for the soil and the environment.

April is the time of year when farmers harvest wheat. The government wants farmers to use special machines called harvesters to cut the wheat. These machines can also chop up the leftover straw, which is called stubble. Chopping up the stubble is better than burning it because burning makes the soil less fertile and hotter. The chopped-up straw is good for animals to eat and it helps to keep the soil healthy.

To prevent the burning of crop residues The National Green Tribunal has even released guidelines to stop this pollution. Officials have already banned burning wood and other things. If anyone breaks this rule, they could get in trouble under the law and might have to pay money for harming the environment.

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The government has also made a new rule. If a farmer burns their crops, they will have to pay a fine. The amount of the fine depends on how much land the farmer has. The order specifies fines for violating the rules, landowners with less than two acres will pay Rs 2,500 per incident, those with 2-5 acres will pay Rs 5,000, and those with over five acres will pay Rs 15,000. They'll also have to pay separate compensation. Farmers who burn their crops will also have to pay extra money to help fix the environment.

It has also been advised for harvesting operators to install a straw stripper with their machines. If a farmer wants to harvest without it, they must inform the police station or local officials.

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The Deputy Director of Farmer Welfare and Agricultural Development warned that burning weeds raises soil acidity, harming it badly. It also lowers microorganism activity and reduces soil's ability to hold water. Using a combined harvester and chaff-making machine creates animal feed from crop leftovers, maintaining soil fertility and protecting the environment.

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