The Punjab government is considering a proposal to make farmers ineligible for contesting panchayat election if found guilty of stubble burning, a senior minister said Thursday.
The government is taking stringent steps to stop burning of stubble and paddy residue,Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said here.
Stubble burning is a major cause of air pollution in north India, particularly the national capital, during the winter.
The Punjab government has appointed a large number of nodal officers and issued instructions for imposing penalties and taking legal action against erring farmers, he said.
"At the same time, the government is also considering a proposal to amend the Panchayati Raj Act...to make farmers ineligible for contesting panchayat election if found guilty of stubble burning," he said.
Bajwa said that the practice of stubble burning is not only polluting environment but the soil is also losing its fertility day by day.
The Punjab government has launched a vigorous campaign to aware farmers about the ill-effects of stubble burning and some legal actions are also being taken to stop this, he said.
The government is also providing huge subsidies on agricultural implements to tackle stubble burning, he said.
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