Haryana Officials Taken Hostage by Farmers During Stubble Burning Inspection

A group of farmers in Haryana’s Ambala district allegedly held three government officials hostage while they were conducting a patrol to inspect stubble burning. The incident occurred in Kot Kachua village when the team, consisting of a patwari, a gram sachiv, and an agriculture department official, visited the village to verify a satellite image provided by the Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) on stubble burning and issue a challan accordingly. The farmers surrounded the team’s vehicle and demanded a subsidy for purchasing straw management machines and an increase in the minimum support price for paddy. After the intervention of senior police officers and district administration officials, the officials were eventually released. The incident comes at a time when the Punjab and Haryana governments are taking action against stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution in the region. Despite efforts to educate farmers about the issue, many farmers in Ambala continue to burn crop residue, claiming they have no other option. The Ambala Agriculture Department has issued challans to several farmers for burning stubble and is investigating numerous cases. This year, stubble burning incidents in Punjab have significantly increased compared to previous years.