Lucknow: The issue of burning of parali (waste of paddy crop) by farmers in northern states, which has led to critical air pollution in the national capital region over the past few days, has resulted in the arrest of 64 farmers in western Uttar Pradesh over the last two days.Farmers in several districts allege they are being harassed and tortured by the police over the farm waste matter.
“Over 64 farmers have been arrested and 584 police cases have been registered in the state on the parali burning. Moreover, over 970 farmers and more than 140 gram pradhans have been served notices for burning the farm waste which results in air pollution”, agriculture minister Suryapratap Shahi admitted in a statement.
The development has led to discontent among the farming community mainly because most growers have no access to any other technique apart from burning it so that they can grow the next crop. “We have no other option but to burn parali although the process damages the soil,” a farmer from Bulandshahr said.The arrests and alleged harassment of farmers have
