Same happens almost after wheat season
Raghbir Singh Brar
Faridkot
The burning of the government and private plantations and big trees during the field fires is a cause of serious concern.
Even some of the farmers resort to burning the wheat stubble after harvesting which can be easily managed in comparison to the paddy stubble.
The farmers do not show little concern to save the big trees and new plantations standing in their fields and alongside the roads.
“We had planted many trees near Smadh Hari Singh Fakkar, on Kotkapura-Jaitu bypass. But most of the plantation and full grown trees have been badly damaged.Unfortunately, our farmers do not realize the importance of the trees. During Covid-19 pandemic, we were forced to buy oxygen while the trees provided us with free oxygen. We want the district administration to take strict action against the violators and they be fined for the betterment of the environment,” said Jaspreet Singh, a farmer from near Kotkapura.
This is not only an example of the damage to the greenery because of the farm fires.
It happens almost every summer season when the farmers resort to burning despite the ban. The fire which is set to burnt stubble also engulfs big and small trees standing in the fields and also burnt the plantation or trees alongside the main and link roads at places.
Though buring has taken place at very small areas this season due to rains etc, yet some of the farmers still resort to it.
“The damage to the trees is comparatively less.Last year it was much more. But still problems exist.If the forest department and district administration take strict measures to check it, it would be a welcome move,” said Sandeep Arora,”an environmental lover.
In a social media post, one commuter on Friday drew the public attention towards the fire near a private school in Kotkapura to Faridkot road.
“You can see that the farmers have set fire on a large chunk of land which is also spreading towards the road and burning the trees of the forest department,” he said.
If the state government comes up with a policy to ensure the spread of green cover, the trees and new plantations will be marked in the revenue record in the land owned by the farmers. There should also be a ban on the cutting down of the trees in the state.Apart from it, an assessment report should also be sought after every post wheat and paddy harvesting season to see how many trees and new seedlings have been damaged on the government and private land.Those responsible must be punished.
Large scale cutting and felling of the trees is ruining the forest area and green cover in the state.
As per information available on the internet, Punjab has only 3.67 percent of forest cover against the national average of 21.76 per cent.
Only about 1846 SKMs are under forest cover of the 50362 SKM area of the state.
