Despite ban, stubble burning continues in Amritsar

Amritsar : Despite a complete ban on stubble burning in Punjab, several farmers were seen burning their crop residue in the Amritsar region, saying they cannot find any other alternative to it.

"We are forced to burn the stubble as we do not have any alternatives. Even animals do not eat paddy stubble. There is no industrial use of it and even if there is any, there are no such plants here," said a farmer, Billa, adding that government should set up such plants where they can sell the crop residue.

Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital is getting poor with every passing day. The government as even planned the third phase of odd even scheme.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has repeatedly claimed that stubble burning in the neighboring states is one of the prime reasons behind poor air quality in the national capital.

Farmers, however, believe that industry and automobiles are bigger causes of pollution than smoke from stubble burning. 

Jovan Singh, a farmer told ANI: "I believe pollution caused due to stubble burning is only five per cent rest 95 per cent is caused due to vehicles and factories. Government is not considering these causes of pollution, they are just focusing on farmers and the pollution caused by burning crop residue."