In the wake of relentless incidents of stubble (known locally as narwai) burning in Madhya Pradesh, the administration has begun enforcing strict measures.
The Indore Collector's office announced via social media that on April 16, cases were registered against 102 farmers, and fines amounting to more than Rs 300,000 were imposed. So far, action has been taken against 770 farmers in Indore for stubble burning, resulting in total penalties amounting to Rs 16,71,000.
According to the dashboard of the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) under the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), part of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) based in New Delhi, there have been 17,534 incidents of wheat stubble burning in Madhya Pradesh so far this year. The rising trend of summer moong cultivation is being cited as a major reason behind these fires.
As per the CREAMS data, 1,240 cases of stubble burning have been recorded in Indore, making it the fifth-highest district for such incidents after Vidisha, Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram), Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, and Siddharthnagar in Uttar Pradesh.
The Indore administration has stated that actions against stubble burning will continue in the coming days. It has also been clarified that farmers owning up to two acres of land will be fined Rs 2,500 per incident as compensation for environmental damage. Those with two to five acres will face a penalty of Rs 5,000 per incident, while farmers with over five acres of land will be fined Rs 15,000 per incident.
Criticising the government’s stance, Leeladhar Rajput, National President of the Krantikari Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, said that there are various causes behind these fire incidents. Many fires occur due to heat, lightning, or electrical faults, he claimed. Holding farmers solely responsible for all fire incidents is not justified, he said.
Rajput pointed out that farmers are victims of the prevailing circumstances. With wheat and paddy yielding poor returns, many have turned to summer moong cultivation as a way to recover losses and earn a bonus. In the rush to prepare their fields for the next crop, many are left with no choice but to burn the wheat stubble.
He clarified that he does not support stubble burning, but added that the government has left farmers with no alternative. There is no substantial support provided by the authorities for the management or alternative use of crop residue.
Districts in Madhya Pradesh with a rising trend of summer moong cultivation have recorded higher incidents of wheat stubble burning. These districts include Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram), Raisen, Dewas, Vidisha, Harda and Sehore.
Rajput further explained that in districts where water availability is adequate, summer mung farming is rapidly gaining popularity. The most extensive cultivation is occurring in Hoshangabad, where over the past decade, almost all farmers have started growing mung as a third crop, thanks to the availability of canal water until May.
As a result, irrigation needs are met with ease. Notably, Hoshangabad has ranked among the top three districts in incidents of wheat stubble burning twice over the past four years (in 2022 and 2023).