The Punjab government has taken action against 9 officials of three districts ahead of the hearing in the Supreme Court today (Monday). These officials have failed to prevent incidents of stubble burning. Action will be taken against them under Section 14(2) of the Air Quality Management Commission (CAQM) Act, 2021.
Let us tell you that the level of pollution in Delhi has increased significantly due to stubble burning. In the last hearing, the Punjab and Haryana governments were reprimanded for giving wrong information.
Action will be taken against the officials of these districts
According to the information, a complaint has been filed against the nodal officer of Kishanpura Kalan village of Gharamkot sub-division of Moga district. A charge sheet has been filed against three officials in Tarn Taran. In Ferozepur, action has been taken against the Agriculture Extension Officer, a junior engineer of the Drainage Department and three Panchayat Secretaries.
296 FIRs have been registered
Ferozepur SSP Saumya Mishra said that an operation has been started against those who violate the rules. So far, 296 FIRs have been registered, of which 121 cases have been registered in the last four days.
DC Deepti Sharma said that notices have been issued to more than 102 officials of the Rural Development and Cooperative departments for failing to prevent incidents of stubble burning. She said that due to the efforts of strict measures this year, a reduction of 58% has been recorded compared to last year.
Fine of Rs 1.72 lakh, 105 cases registered in Moga
Moga DC Vishesh Sarangal on Sunday issued show cause notices to two SDMs, two SHOs and a BDPO, among other officials. Sarangal said that 105 cases have been registered by the Punjab Remote Sensing Center, Ludhiana, on incidents of stubble burning and a fine of Rs 1.72 lakh has been imposed on the violating farmers.
He said that a case has been registered against 61 persons in this regard and a red entry has been made in their property records.
Notice issued to these officers
These officers include SDM Sarangpreet Singh Aunjala, SDM Baghapurana Beant Singh Sidhu, BDPO Nihal Singh Wala Rupinder Kaur, Jasvinder Singh SHO Baghapurana, Jatinder Singh SHO Dharamkot, Cluster Officer Sukhwinder Singh Tehsil Moga, Cluster Officer Manmohan Singh Tehsil Moga, Nodal Officer Prabhdeep Singh Bhinder Kalan, Nodal Officer Rakesh Kumar Village Umarpura, Nodal Officer Rakesh Kumar Village Kishanpura Kalan, Nodal Officer Sanjeev Kumar Village Gill, Nodal Officer Pragatjit Singh Kishanpura, Nodal Officer Balwinder Singh Nihal Singh Wala, Nodal Officer Davinder Singh Nihal Singh Wala, Nodal Officer Tehsil Moga Jagseer Singh.
What is Section 14(2) of the CAQM Act?
Offences under Section 14(2) of the CAQM Act are non-bailable. They are heard by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class). If the charges are proved and the accused is found guilty, then a fine of up to Rs 1 crore can be imposed. Along with this, there can be a sentence of five years or both.